Employment, Earnings and Social Protection for Female Workers in Vietnam’s Informal Sector

Abstract

The informal sector plays an important role in employment creation and poverty reduction among female laborers in Vietnam. Currently, around 70 percent to 80 percent of women in Vietnam work in the informal sector, of which about 60 percent are in the agriculture and 20 percent are in the non-agricultural sectors that are mostly affiliated with small-size production and service units. By investigating the employment, earnings, and social protection policy on female labor in Vietnam’s informal sector, this research is able to answer the following research questions: 1) How important is the role of female labor in the informal sector? 2) What are the important factors that influence job opportunities for women in the informal sector? 3) What are the policy implications on female labor in Vietnam's informal sector? 4) What are the causes of work insecurities among females in Vietnam's informal sector? 5) What areas of social protection are most needed by women workers? 6) How does one address these principal needs for social protection among female workers