Defining the concept of work

The document defines employment according to ILO standards and examines the 'working poor'—employed individuals living in extreme poverty. It highlights that in 2024, 6.9% of the global employed population lived on less than US$2.15 per day, with Africa experiencing higher rates. Specifically, 29.3% of Africa's employed population were working poor, with rates exceeding 70% in Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines an employed person as anyone 15 years 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. This definition encompasses both formal and informal employment, regardless of whether it is declared.
• The 'working poor' are employed individuals who live in extreme poverty because their employment-related incomes are insufficient to provide decent living conditions or lift their families out of poverty. This condition is driven by factors such as underemployment, high dependency ratios, a high cost of living, and low wages.
• In 2024, over 238 million employed people globally (6.9%) lived in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than US$2.15 per day in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). The proportion of working poor is higher in Africa than in other regions.
• In 2024, the share of total employment in Africa consisting of working poor living below US$2.15 per day was estimated at 29.3%. In Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the percentage of the employed labour force that is extremely poor exceeds 70%.

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} }