A just, equitable future of work begins with the voice of workers.
We provide a knowledge and action hub dedicated to advancing the rights, lives, and livelihoods of workers in the informal economy.
Kenya, UgandaMay 11, 2026 · Global Fairness Initiative
Informality, Accountability, and Labor Rights for Data Workers in East Africa
Although artificial intelligence (AI) and social media platforms are often thought of as amorphous, autonomous technologies, they require a vast unseen human labor force to be produced and operated. Content moderators, who determine if user-generated content meets community guidelines, and data annotators, who train AI models by identifying objects, patterns, and audio, make this tech possible. Data worker vulnerabilities parallel those of workers in the informal economy, where workers have temporary or no work contracts and lack access to social security benefits. This informality undermines data workers’ agency in global supply chains and leads to lower wages, poor working conditions, and minimal social protections. Moreover, the data work outsourcing system is embedded in a broader system of “digital colonialism,” in which value flows out of the Global South while decision-making power remains with actors in the Global North, perpetuating a vicious cycle of exploitation.
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We amplify worker voices.
The Global Fairness Initiative's Inclusive Labor Institute (ILI) is a worker-centered hub focused on improving the nature of work for the more than two billion workers in the global informal economy. We are a bridge between worker organizations, civil society, and public and private institutions.
Lens
Worker-centered
Grounding research and action in workers' lived experience.
Focus
Informal economy
Especially where formal protections are weakest.
Approach
Knowledge & action
Pairing evidence with applied tools and collaboration.
Global Reach
A bridge between worker organizations, civil society, and public and private institutions.
- Evidence on the realities of informal work
- Tools and learning offers for policy and practice
- Spaces for dialogue with decision-makers
May 6, 2026 · Kristina Dell
Working Two Jobs to Support Three Kids
When Kate T.'s husband left her, she took any job to care for her family. Now she is a regional leader of her union, still working multiple jobs, but also teaching others how to make more money.
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Knowledge Hub
Research, briefs, and visualizations on informal work and worker voice to inform policy and programming.
- Worker-led studies and briefs
- Country and sector snapshots
- Visual tools to support decision-making
Worker Stories
In workers' own words
Community Voices that bring the realities of workers in the informal economy to life.
Knowledge Hub
Latest research & publications
Worker-led studies, briefs, and data from across the informal economy.
January 30, 2026Global Fairness Initiative
ILI Study: Bridging Policy and Practice: Improving Working Conditions and Advancing Formalization for Informal Workers in Nairobi and Kiambu
The study examined the working conditions of informal workers in Nairobi and Kiambu counties to assess the existing policies and explore opportunities for formalization. The study was motivated by recognition that informal workers are a critical source of livelihood in Kenya, providing employment and sustaining millions of livelihoods. The sector is dominated by women and youth who engage in street vending, domestic work, small-scale trading, and artisanal services as sources of income. While this sector has proven to be resilient and adaptive, it is also marked by instability, poverty, and exclusion from the protections and benefits available in the formal economy.
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