What Is Informality?
The Hidden Crisis Affecting Us All

WHAT IS IT: Informality is a condition of vulnerability that comes from living an insecure, invisible existence, where a large segment of society is marginalized even from their own governments. It is a form of systemic disempowerment where governments unintentionally create or sustain an ecosystem of uncertainty. 

WHAT IT IS NOT: Informality does not just refer to proof of labor or the ownership of homes or other physical properties. It is the inability to prove anything about oneself, what one owns, or what one is owed.

IT IS HUGE: Globally, informality is one of the key drivers of poverty, instability, and exploitation. It erodes the middle class, weakens economies, and threatens prosperity for everyone, even those outside its grasp.

CHANGE IS PROVEN: We can transform this silent crisis into a global opportunity—and build a future where dignity, inclusion, and prosperity are possible for all.

This ecosystem traps individuals and entire communities in cycles of insecurity. But its impact reaches further—it erodes the middle class, weakens economies, and threatens prosperity for everyone, even those outside its grasp. Yet informality can be reversed. With the right tools and a shift in mindset, we can transform this silent crisis into a global opportunity—and build a future where dignity, inclusion, and prosperity are possible for all.