Contribution short abstract:

This study analyzes social protection programs—like cash transfers and employment schemes—on precarious workers in LMICs, highlighting their limitations and advocating for an integrated approach combining social protection, labor rights, and sustainable livelihoods.

Contribution long abstract:

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), precarious work remains a defining feature of the labor market, with workers often exposed to economic insecurity, limited access to social protections, and erosion of labor rights. This paper seeks to bridge the gap between these three critical areas, offering a comprehensive exploration of intersections and disconnects in the context of government initiatives aimed at enhancing social and livelihood protection for precarious workers in LMICs. Using meta-analysis, this paper examines the effectiveness of key social protection schemes—such as conditional cash transfers and employment programs—in reshaping the precarious work landscape.

The findings reveal significant variations in the effectiveness of these schemes. Conditional cash transfers have shown strong positive outcomes in improving household income, nutrition, and access to education, but their impact on formal labor market participation and the broader integration of workers into secure employment remains limited. Employment programs have been effective in providing temporary economic relief, especially in rural areas, but these interventions have had limited long-term impacts on structural employment shifts or labor rights protections for workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the inadequacies of these isolated interventions, amplifying the vulnerabilities of informal workers, particularly those in urban contexts, and highlighting the urgent need for a more integrated approach that combines social protection, labor rights, and livelihood initiatives. This paper contributes to both the theoretical development of these intersecting fields and the practical design of inclusive, effective policies that address the vulnerabilities of precarious workers in LMICs.