ASEAN concluded its deliberations on establishing a regional database on informal employment statistics in order to promote decent work at a workshop held in Jakarta yesterday.

Representatives from ASEAN Member States’ labour ministries and national statistics deliberated on the methodology, indicators and data updating process of the soon to-be-established ASEAN database during the workshop.

In his opening address, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs Michael Tene underlined the importance of strengthening informal employment statistics towards developing evidence-based policies in the region. He expressed his hope that the establishment of an ASEAN informal employment database will support Member States in addressing the challenges of informal employment and securing decent work for all.

The workshop is a follow-up to the Regional Study on Informal Employment Statistics to Support Decent Work Promotion in ASEAN, which is one of the activities of the Regional Action Plan of the Vientiane Declaration on Transition from Informal Employment to Formal Employment towards Decent Work Promotion in ASEAN.

The regional database as well as the publication on Regional Study on Informal Employment Statistics to Support Decent Work Promotion in ASEAN will soon be available in the ASEAN website.  The Vientiane Declaration on Transition from Informal Employment to Formal Employment towards Decent Work Promotion in ASEAN is available here; while its Regional Action Plan is available here.