Social Protection of Informal Economy Workers in Angola: Past and Present Challenges

Informal economy workers in Angola, like in many parts of the world and specifically the African continent, are among the most vulnerable when it comes to jobs, economical safety, and protection. Not only because the informal economy is characterised by higher levels of uncertainty about integration; profits and income;
protection from job performance threats; but because the systems in place do not respond to specific features and conditions of informal work and do not consider the significance of the informal economy today. Particularly, in a context of accelerated urbanisation, the informal economy does not require much initial capital; implies less investment in infrastructure, schooling and professional qualifications; and is,
therefore, adapted to both the conditions of poor families and urban migrants. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 66 per cent of employment is in the informal economy, with a predominance of self-employment.1 However, incomes are generally, low, irregular and insufficient.2.