Urban Women’s Work: Mainstreaming the Informal Economy Alison Brown

Inclusive Cities Women in Informal Employment - Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) –global research/policy network –seeks to improve the status of working poor Inclusive Cities Network –nine organisations, representing –2 million workers: wastepickers, home-based workers, street vendors

Emerging Economies Informal economy mainstay of many urban economies Provides majority of urban jobs Employs more women than men Can contribute to municipal income Crucial to urban livelihoods and poverty reduction …but, rarely exploited in LED – why?

What is the Informal Economy? Legal product, extra-legal process…. Includes people in: Unwaged work –Own account workers –Running small business employing others –Unpaid family members Waged work –Employees (formal/informal businesses)

RegionIE as % of N-AE Women in IE (% in N-AE) Men in IE (% in N-AE) Sub-Saharan Africa Benin Latin America Mexico55 54 Asia65 India Scale of the Informal Economy Informal employment in Non-Agricultural employment by Sex ( )

City Governments Many local government regulations affect IE –highways, public health, business regulation, markets, planning, social welfare etc…....but LG response to IE is ambivalent Some good practice (rarely sustained) More common… –benign neglect … –…… systematic harassment ….why?

Critical Problems Challenges to LGs in managing large IEs Competing claims on urban space Traders complain ‘they only want our vote’ A crucial problem is lack of reliable data –numbers of workers –economic impact No joined-up info on what LG already does for IE

Remittances Market fees to LG Family Dependents Wholesaler Food sellers Landlord Porters

Inclusive Cities Campaign Builds the capacity of member-based organisations Global trade Organisation and representation Social security Statistics Urban Policies

Statistics How many workers? Labour Force Survey S. Africa annual survey - 30,000 hhds non-agricultural workforce occupational classifications OCs – level 2 –craft-related trade workers (44%) –elementary occupations (eg: street vendors) (26%) –service/shop/sales workers (11%)

Campaigning… StreetNet & the Durban experience South Africa hosting FIFA World Cup in 2010 Campaign World Class Cities Street traders fear eviction Arguing for World Class Cities for All

Challenges Recognise integral place on the IE in LED Give recognition of role of women workers Enable….. Women to work as Agents of Change New partnerships? Examples of good practice? Alison Brown, Cardiff University