Living Wage and Minimum Wage in a National Context: Lessons from Selected Countries in the Global South.

Anker Research Institute Working Paper Series | Number 15

Asad Sayeed and Shaira Parveen

Abstract:

This study has two objectives. First, it seeks to identify the factors that influence the extent to which minimum wages are set relative to living wages and to examine how this relationship changes over time in response to shifts in policy and economic conditions. Second, it examines the potential for living wages to serve as a normative benchmark for minimum wage setting and adjustment, while exploring policy pathways for extending adequate wage protection to a broader segment of workers in the Global South. The paper synthesizes findings from six country studies on the history, structure, and evolution of minimum wage systems. The selected countries span Africa, Asia, and Latin America, providing a diverse set of experiences and policy approaches. 

This study was commissioned by the Anker Research Institute (ARI). However, the authors conducted their work independently, and the views, findings, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARI, its members, or its supporting institutions.