Defining the concept of work

The document outlines the International Labour Organisation's definition of employment and highlights the disconnect between having a job and escaping poverty. It identifies the 'working poor' as those whose employment incomes are insufficient to lift them out of extreme poverty, noting that 29.3% of employed people in Africa lived below US$2.15 per day in 2024, with figures exceeding 70% in Madagascar and the DR Congo.

• The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines an employed person as anyone aged 15 or older who has worked at least one hour for pay in a given week, or is temporarily absent for reasons such as illness, maternity, or annual leave, regardless of whether the employment is formal or informal.
• The 'working poor' are defined as the employed population living in extreme poverty because their employment-related incomes cannot ensure decent living conditions or lift their families out of poverty. This is driven by factors such as underemployment, high dependency ratios, a high cost of living, and low wages.
• In 2024, approximately 238 million employed people globally (6.9%) lived in extreme poverty, defined as less than US$2.15 per day in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).
• Africa has a higher proportion of working poor than other regions, with 29.3% of the total employed labour force in Africa estimated to be living below US$2.15 per day in 2024. In Madagascar and the DR Congo, this figure exceeds 70% of the employed labour force.

APA

Cilliers, J., & Chipanda, B. (2026). Defining the concept of work. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=13-work-jobs&topic=02-concept-of-work

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie, and Blessing Chipanda. Defining the concept of work. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=13-work-jobs&topic=02-concept-of-work.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cilliers |first1=Jakkie |last2=Chipanda |first2=Blessing |title=Defining the concept of work |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=4 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=13-work-jobs&topic=02-concept-of-work |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cilliers2026defining, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie and Chipanda, Blessing}, title = {{Defining the concept of work}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=13-work-jobs&topic=02-concept-of-work}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }