The project will look at how states have engaged with informal economies and workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, how informality has affected workers’ access to crisis support, and how these outcomes have affected state-society relationships and the underlying accountability processes. In particular, the project will examine the role of trust between informal workers and state institutions and how differences such as gender, profession, and previous interaction with state institutions has affected engagement with state policies during the pandemic.
Focusing on four sectors – domestic carers, market vendors, transport workers and home-based manufacturing – the study will provide useful guidance for policy makers on areas such as the inclusiveness and effectiveness of crisis support; willingness to abide by public health guidelines and trust state information and public messaging campaigns; and willingness to participate in state-led vaccination initiatives.
