The predominance of informality in Egypt’s economic activity, which is estimated to constitute around 40 percent of the country’s GDP, has often been regarded as a major impediment to development and is usually linked to “low standards of life.” The usual policy approach has always been a question of how Egypt can “remove” or “free” itself from the challenges of informality. Though terms can also be redefined and looked at through many different directions to inspire innovative policies. From a bottom-up approach, which aims to strengthen the channel of communication with the experiences of the informal workers, the policy approach could instead be how to “include” and “join forces” with these workers in the economy. As governments around the world are imposing full or partial lock-downs to limit the spread of the disease and flatten the COVID-19 curve, the vulnerability of informal workers and daily wage earners is once again looked at as a challenge that developing countries must “emancipate” themselves from. However, the crisis could also accelerate reforms and push states to think of new ways to improve regulation of the informal economy and incorporate marginalized groups in the…
