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Objective of the Conference

In spite of its predominant economic weight in developing countries, little is known about the informal sector and informal employment, which is still a “huge black hole” of our knowledge and largely neglected by public policies. However, an increasing number of surveys have been conducted over the last few years; concepts and methodology to measure this sector have progressed; some international research has also been done. It is therefore time to take stock of all these advances and to think of new directions.

Moreover, in Vietnam as in other developing countries, the current international economic crisis is provoking huge employment losses and employment restructuring. This increases the interest for the informal sector, which is one of the main victims of the crisis.

The purpose of the International Conference on the Informal Sector and Informal Employment is to look into the definition and statistical measurement of the concepts, analyse the economic implications of these phenomena, and study the public policies implemented. More than fifteen years have passed since the 1993 adoption of a common international definition of the informal sector (ILO, SNA). The time has come to look at what we have learned from all the experiences worldwide, as much in terms of economic analyses and statistical measurement as in terms of policies implemented.

In addition to this theme, which has taken on new significance with the process of globalisation and crisis, the International Conference will break new ground by bringing together three types of audiences who rarely have the opportunity to discuss and compare their approaches: researchers, statisticians and the development community that develops and implements the economic policies.