Aayam Sharma
The Regional Knowledge Sharing Forum (RKSF) brought together key stakeholders from governments, employers, workers and multilateral organizations across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss innovative approaches to formalization. The event aimed to contribute to the 2025 International Labour Conference (ILC) debate on "Innovative approaches to tackling informality and encouraging transitions to formality”, marking the 10th anniversary of the ILO Recommendation 204. The forum provided a platform for exchanging best practices, reviewing progress since 2015, and discussing challenges related to informal economies in the region. The International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) supported the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok and the Action Programme on Formalization in organizing the Regional Knowledge Sharing forum in Asia and the Pacific to foster experience-exchange and engagement in co-creation process promoting innovative approaches to formalization.
Objectives:
This Forum offered participants the opportunity to:
Share best practices and innovative approaches for transitioning to formality.
Engage in face-to-face and virtual discussions on sector-specific challenges, emerging trends, and innovative methodologies.
Learn from case studies that highlight effective strategies for formalizing economies, particularly in sectors with high levels of informal employment.
Collaborate with other countries, organizations, and experts to develop concrete actions and strategies.
Content:
The Forum was conducted in a hybrid format, combining in-person sessions in Bangkok with virtual participation. This allowed for a broader and more inclusive exchange of ideas. The event featured:
Spotlight Sessions, which focused on key regional issues and insights through facilitated interviews, international experiences and interactive Q&A sessions.
Think Tank Sessions, which provided a space for participants to work in smaller groups to identify challenges and elaborate practical solutions and strategies in a co-creative manner.
A Knowledge-sharing platform, a dedicated online space that enabled participants to continue discussions and access resources post-event. The platform served as a dynamic repository for best practices and innovative approaches both in the region as well as globally.
The following sessions were featured during the event:
Spotlight Session 1: What happened since the adoption of the Recommendation 204
Think Tank Session 1: Coordination and governance towards formalization in Asia and Pacific
Think Tank Session 2: Strengthening organization and representation in the informal economy
Think Tank Session 3: Development and monitoring of evidence-based formalization policies
Spotlight Session 2: Leveraging digitalization and e-formalization
Think Tank Session 4: Reducing decent work deficits and improving productivity in the informal economy
Think Tank Session 5: Reaching out to workers at the risk of exclusion (domestic & platform)
Think Tank Session 6: Improving OSH and the role of labour inspection in the informal economy
Spotlight Session 3: Structural transformation, sectoral policies and productivity to facilitate the transition to formality
Think Tank Session 7: Enhancing productivity through sector-based initiatives and value chains and supply chains
Think Tank Session 8: Simplification and incentives for formalization
NUMBER OF HOURS: 18