emerging and developing countries are searching for new policies and practical responses in order to promote decent work for millions of young men and women who are engaged in the informal economy these two policy instruments align with each other and reinforce the clear policy guidance on youth employment and their transition from the informal to the formal economy this is the first international labour standard to focus on the informal economy in its entirety and diversity and to point clearly to the transition to the formal economy as the means for realising decent work for all and achieving inclusive development the recommendation of universal relevance acknowledges the broad diversity of situations of informality including specific national contexts and priorities for the transition to the formal economy and provides practical guidance to address these priorities