, DVA4805 Assignment 3 (COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 1 2025 (208522) - DUE 23 July 2025; 100%
TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and
explanations.
Women in the Informal Sector: Challenges, Themes, and Policy
Guidelines for Empowerment
1. Introduction
In South Africa, the informal sector employs a significant portion of
women, particularly in low-income urban townships and rural areas.
Women in this sector face a myriad of gendered challenges: economic
insecurity, legal invisibility, workplace vulnerabilities, and societal
expectations. Drawing on interviews with five women—hot meal
vendors, home-based garment makers, waste pickers, domestic workers,
and beauty service providers—this essay examines their lived
experiences. It identifies core themes, analyzes systemic factors, and
proposes policy guidelines to promote women’s empowerment.
2. Methodology
Five women were interviewed in informal settings (street stalls, home
workshops) across three provinces—Gauteng, Western Cape, and
KwaZulu-Natal. Semi-structured conversations focused on:
1. Major challenges and obstacles in their work.
2. Family and community perceptions.
3. Barriers to business growth.
4. Legal and social protections.
5. Aspirations and self-perceptions of empowerment.
Semester 1 2025 (208522) - DUE 23 July 2025; 100%
TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and
explanations.
Women in the Informal Sector: Challenges, Themes, and Policy
Guidelines for Empowerment
1. Introduction
In South Africa, the informal sector employs a significant portion of
women, particularly in low-income urban townships and rural areas.
Women in this sector face a myriad of gendered challenges: economic
insecurity, legal invisibility, workplace vulnerabilities, and societal
expectations. Drawing on interviews with five women—hot meal
vendors, home-based garment makers, waste pickers, domestic workers,
and beauty service providers—this essay examines their lived
experiences. It identifies core themes, analyzes systemic factors, and
proposes policy guidelines to promote women’s empowerment.
2. Methodology
Five women were interviewed in informal settings (street stalls, home
workshops) across three provinces—Gauteng, Western Cape, and
KwaZulu-Natal. Semi-structured conversations focused on:
1. Major challenges and obstacles in their work.
2. Family and community perceptions.
3. Barriers to business growth.
4. Legal and social protections.
5. Aspirations and self-perceptions of empowerment.
