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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYPurpose of this chapterChapter 3 is about labour rights for the fight against poverty. Based on our review of employment andworking conditions in the informal economy, we present two essential messages.The first is that governments and internationalorganisations must address the decentwork deficits of those who work informally, sincethe informal economy, characterised by low productivity,low earnings and high risks, has beengrowing worldwide, emerging in many new guisesand in unexpected places. The second messageis one of hope. It is about the new departure ininternational development strategies, in which wefind broad coalitions being formed among governments,international organisations, trade unions,employers and non-governmental organisationsthat are willing to take on the challenge of creatingand implementing policies for decent workand empowerment of the poor.We describe this new departure in internationaldevelopment strategies as an emerging ‘GlobalSocial Contract’ and propose that the Commissionon Legal Empowerment of the Poor (sometimesreferred to by its acronym, CLEP) furtherdevelop the concept into a framework integratingaccess to justice, property rights, labour rightsand business rights.130Labour rights, informal economy,empowerment and decent work: whatdo we mean?In Section 2, we define concepts used in this report.Labour rights include internationally agreedfundamental principles and rights at work, as wellas rights to social protection, income protection,workplace safety, decent working conditions andparticipation through representative organisationsof workers, in national policy fora. Thisconcept also takes into account and supportscommitments and policies for the creation of full,productive and freely-chosen employment andtraining. Informal economy refers to economicactivities by workers and economic units that are— in law or in practice — not covered or insufficientlycovered by formal arrangements governingboth enterprise and employment relationships.Legal empowerment is that process throughwhich people are provided rights in an appropriatelegal framework, which they can claim andunderstand, and which they can find useful inimproving income and employment opportunities.It is a process recognised both formally (legally)and informally (legitimately). We define decentwork as that available to all men and women,