About

 

 

Tackling Informal Employment in Asia: Building Post-COVID-19 Solutions to Precariousness Through Case-Study-Based Evidence (LABOUR) is a Horizon Europe project funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Staff Exchange (MSCA-SE) programme. The project runs from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025 with a total budget of €1,545,600.

The project is coordinated by Tallinn University (Estonia) and implemented by an international consortium consisting of 8 beneficiary institutions and 8 partner organizations across Europe and Asia.

LABOUR focuses on the rapid expansion of informal employment in Asia following the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in countries where labor markets are characterized by precarity, weak social protection systems, and structural inequalities. Through in-depth case studies conducted in Bhutan, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, the project examines how informal employment shapes livelihoods, social resilience, and economic recovery in post-pandemic contexts.

By combining field-based empirical research with comparative analysis, LABOUR aims to generate evidence-based policy recommendations addressing job insecurity, income instability, and gaps in social protection. The project also promotes sustained knowledge exchange between European and Asian academic institutions, civil society organizations, and policymakers, contributing to the development of more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable labor markets.

Marmara University participates in LABOUR as a Beneficiary Partner and serves as the National Coordinator for Türkiye, with a total project share of €110,400. Marmara University plays an active role in research design, field analysis, researcher exchanges, dissemination activities, and national-level coordination.

Within the framework of the project:

• 31 researcher-months are carried out as outgoing secondments from Marmara University.
• 31 researcher-months are hosted at Marmara University as incoming secondments.