Women Workers in Informal Economy and Aging Concerns

Abstract

As the aging population increases across the world, by the year 2047, we will witness a tipping point where the number of older persons is expected to increase more than the number of children. With the number of children decreasing and life expectancy increasing, we are now witnessing four-generation societies, instead of three generations ones seen earlier. What does it mean for the older women and men and how they are likely to be affected by this demographic shift is a matter of great concern. A decrease in the number of children, lack of public care facilities, the global decline in social security, and public health spending are some of the concerns being raised. A bigger challenge, which is also essential to consider in this environment, is that about two billion workers, representing 61.2% of the world’s employed population, are in informal employment. This directly affects their fundamental principles and rights at work, and right to social security and social protection. The employment of older persons is more likely to be informal than that of young people, whatever the socio-economic development of a country and region (ILO in Women and men in the informal economy: a statistical picture (third edition). International Labour Office, 2018a). Worldwide, there are 2 billion workers who are informally employed, of which 740 million are women. These women workers are often found in the most vulnerable employment, for instance, domestic workers, home-based workers, or contributing family workers. The proportion of women working as “contributing family members” is three times higher than in informal employment (representing 28.1% of women in informal employment than 8.7% for men) and are usually considered unpaid workers. The issue of women workers and aging needs to be an integral part of the discussions on eliminating negative aspects of informality and transitioning toward formalization to enable women, especially those in the informal economy, to enjoy active aging and dignified living beyond the working age.