The United Nations’ labour agency the International Labour Organization (ILO) has adopted an international labour standard aimed at helping workers move from informal (black market) to formal economies.

The standard guides member states on stopping the informalisation of formal economy jobs and creating decent jobs in the formal economy.

The ILO estimates more than half of the world’s workforce is trapped in the informal economy, characterised by the denial of rights at work, the absence of sufficient opportunities for quality work, inadequate social protection and low productivity.