TRAINING PROGRAMME ON ENTERPRISE FORMALIZATION (THE GAMBIA)

The on-line training programme on enterprise formalization strengthened policy makers’ and stakeholders’ knowledge on the challenges related to informality in micro and small enterprises and ways to overcome them. The programme provided participants with relevant insights on the multidimensional nature of formalization and enhanced their competencies to engage in the design and implementation of national strategies on enterprise formalization. OBJECTIVES At the end of the on-line training programme, the participants are able to: • Define the concepts of the informal economy and enterprise formalization in the framework of ILO Recommendation No. 204 on the “Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy”; • Explain the risks of operating in the informal sector (particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic) and the importance of enterprise formalization for businesses, workers and society overall; • Describe the different categories of informal enterprises and various obstacles to enterprise formalization • Provide qualified inputs on the design of policies and strategies to facilitate the formalization of small enterprises and the national context in The Gambia, based on international good practices; • Plea for an integrated approach to enterprise formalization, designed and implemented through a comprehensive national dialogue process CONTENT Week 1: Setting the stage on the informality of enterprises: Concepts, key figures and links to the COVID-19 crisis Week 2: Assessing informality and measuring progress in transition to formality Week 3: Simplifying business registration and compliance Week 4: Identifying, designing and implementing incentives for enterprise formalization: Access to public and private markets and enhancing productivity Week 5: Identifying, designing and implementing incentives to enterprise formalization: Access to finance and social protection Week 6: Integrated approach based on social dialogue