DVA4805
Assignment 3
Due 23 July 2025
, Title: Barriers Faced by Women in the Informal Economy: Grassroots
Perspectives and Policy Solutions
Student Name:
Institution:
Date:
1. Introduction
The informal economy plays a critical role in the livelihoods of many individuals in
developing nations, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa. It includes economic
activities that operate outside of formal legal and regulatory frameworks, often lacking
access to labor protections, taxation systems, or social security. A large portion of
informal sector workers are women, engaged in various jobs such as street vending,
domestic service, informal agriculture, hairdressing, and craftwork (Chen, 2012).
Although these women make valuable contributions to the economy, they often face
serious challenges that affect their financial stability, upward mobility, and overall
empowerment. This research draws on firsthand accounts from five women working in
Kenya’s informal sector, examining their shared experiences and providing policy
suggestions to improve their working conditions.
2. Methodology
This study is based on qualitative interviews with five women involved in different
informal occupations across Kenya:
Mary, who sells vegetables on the streets of Kisumu.
Amina, employed as a domestic worker in Nairobi.
Beatrice, a hairdresser working in Kibera.
Jane, who sells second-hand clothing at the Gikomba market.
Ruth, who runs a small fish-selling business near Lake Victoria.
The interviews explored the difficulties these women encounter in their daily work.
Responses were analyzed using thematic coding to identify recurring issues and trends
Assignment 3
Due 23 July 2025
, Title: Barriers Faced by Women in the Informal Economy: Grassroots
Perspectives and Policy Solutions
Student Name:
Institution:
Date:
1. Introduction
The informal economy plays a critical role in the livelihoods of many individuals in
developing nations, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa. It includes economic
activities that operate outside of formal legal and regulatory frameworks, often lacking
access to labor protections, taxation systems, or social security. A large portion of
informal sector workers are women, engaged in various jobs such as street vending,
domestic service, informal agriculture, hairdressing, and craftwork (Chen, 2012).
Although these women make valuable contributions to the economy, they often face
serious challenges that affect their financial stability, upward mobility, and overall
empowerment. This research draws on firsthand accounts from five women working in
Kenya’s informal sector, examining their shared experiences and providing policy
suggestions to improve their working conditions.
2. Methodology
This study is based on qualitative interviews with five women involved in different
informal occupations across Kenya:
Mary, who sells vegetables on the streets of Kisumu.
Amina, employed as a domestic worker in Nairobi.
Beatrice, a hairdresser working in Kibera.
Jane, who sells second-hand clothing at the Gikomba market.
Ruth, who runs a small fish-selling business near Lake Victoria.
The interviews explored the difficulties these women encounter in their daily work.
Responses were analyzed using thematic coding to identify recurring issues and trends
