Urban Informal Sector: How Much Women Are Struggling for Family Survival

Global Journal of Human-Social Science Research, 2015

Woman share in formal and informal labor market has gained much importance at national and international level. It has become the main agenda of national and international organizations for last three decades. Data collected for those women whom are contributing in the household budget through their informal economic activities is a Herculean task. The raison d’etre of our research work is to measure those factors which are affecting woman’s contribution in the household budget, particularly in the urban informal sector. Primary data were collected from urban councils of district Dera Ghazi Khan.

2009

The paper highlights the effects of family composition of women workers (16-60 years) in informal sector on their contribution in family income. Employing the OLS model on 1780 observations it is found that family size and number of old age persons (more than 60 years) in the family, dependency ratio and if the eldest sibling of the main couple is male have positive effect on contribution. The number of infants, number of male and female children (5-15 years) in the family, number of male and female prime-age children (more than 15 years) and number of adult males in the family have shown negative effect on the contribution of women in the family income. The ratio of male to female children (5-15 years) and the number of working children also affect the contribution of women negatively.

The paper analyses the contribution of informally employed women (for the age group of 16-60 years) to their household budget. The urban informal sector largely absorbs women workers. We examine the determinants of their contribution to their household budgets for the survival of the families. Applying the OLS model to 937 observations, it is found that women as heads of household, women's education, and ownership of assets by woman have a positive effect on their contribution. The burden of the large family size, household poverty, and loans availed by the household are shared by the informally employed women, as these variables positively affect their contribution. Age of the woman has a non-linear effect on woman's contribution. The contribution first increases and then decreases by an increase in the age of the woman. Married women and women living in nuclear families contribute more to the household budget. The household per capita income and number of children (5-15 years) in the household have shown a negative effect on the contribution of women to the household budget. The household's economic vulnerability due to unemployment of husband and lower productivity caused by lower education of husband are also largely shared by the urban informally employed women, i.e., they struggle more for family survival. However, the number of adult males in the household decreases the volume of contribution by women and the burden on women is relaxed.

International journal of academic research in business & social sciences, 2022

The informal sector is part of economic activities in Malaysia and there is still insufficient information on these economic activities. The informal economy is a label for economic activities that take place outside the framework of public and private institutions. Therefore, this study argues that the level of participation of women working in the informal services sector significantly affects the subjective well-being of household economies in urban areas. Factors of women's participation in choice and need based on Causal and Utility theory are seen to influence the subjective well-being of the household economy. This study aims to determine the demographic influence of women's participation in the informal sector, analyzing participation factors by choice and need. This study uses a quantitative approach. A total of 474 respondents representing informal women workers. The field study was conducted between October 2020 to March 2021 at a time when the Covid 19 pandemic was still plaguing Malaysia and the world. This research covers informal women workers in the cities of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Malaysia. Urban areas in the state have been selected in this study based on three factors namely major economic factors, geographical factors and strategic location and as a major urban center. One-way ANOVA test were used to look at the relationship and influence between the variables. The results of the study show that there a significant demographic influence of women's participation in the informal sector on the subjective well-being of household economy. The implication of the demographics of women's participation in the informal sector has taken into account by authorities to improve the decent income and providing the good support system for the family members in order to increase the economic wellbeing of the informal sector household in the future.

2003

Fourth international conference proceeedings of the association of third world studies, inc. Kenya chapter

The informal sector is a broad sector that includes all fields that are not bound by agreements or employment contracts, one of which is trade where everyone has the right to enter, especially women whose participation has been increasing every year. The purpose of women entering the informal sector, specifically trade, is to improve the welfare and living standards of their families. The variables that influence women's income levels include education, migration status, work experience, and working hours. This research was conducted in Nyanggelan Market, Denpasar, with a sample size of 104 people, using path analysis as the method of analysis. The results obtained indicate a positive and significant influence of education, migration status, and work experience on income. Additionally, working hours mediate the influence of education, migration status, and work experience on income.

RePEc: Research Papers in Economics, 1986

Typology of women's informal sector; suggestions for its measurement (a) Visible informal sector (b) Invisible informal sector (c) Peddling (d) Domestic service Specific Recommendations derived from experience with household surveys Difficulties in the measurement of income in household surveys VI. ANNEX A. Household surveys A.l Household surveys incorporated to ECLAC'S data bank A.2 Variables included in selected household survey questionnaires A.3 Income variables studied in selected household surveys B. Latin America. Economically active population within the formal and informal sector by sex. 1970-1980 B.l Definition of the labour market segments according to category of employment, occupation and sector of activity B.2 Percentage distribution of economically active population by sex and labour market segment. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador Panama and Paraguay C. 1983 Experimental Census of Costa Rica C.l Questionnaire C.2 Activities of women who declare themselves inactive in accordance with usual census measurement. D. ILO/DGEC. Methodological survey for the measurementof employment, unemployment and underemployment Costa Rica 1983. D.1 Questionnaire D.2 Operational Definition of urban informal sector in ILO/DGEC Methodological survey in Costa Rica 1983 -3- Taking this into account, it is possible to make the following specific recommendations. Register, separately, the value of goods produced and sold from the cost of the inputs used in its production. Record the quantity and the value of goods and services produced and consumed within the household. Separate the income derived from the principal occupation from that of secondary activities, especially sporadic ones. This paper evidences that the measurement of income is one of the areas which presents the greatest difficulty, especially as it concerns self-employment and unpaid economic activities. Undoubtedly, a more precise knowledge of women's activity in the informal sector will result in a better assessment of their contribution, the production and to income generated for the household. From a societal perspective, the work performed by women is of essential importance for the maintenance and survival of society. Women are socially assigned two types of work: one, the most important is the reproductive domestic work performed in the household which is essential to the socialization of future generations, the daily reproduction of the population and the generational reproduction of the labour force. The other is social work, which is carried out in the extra-domestic sphere, in the labour market, and which allows them to generate (though not always) an income and to be part of the so-called economically active population. This division into two spheres of work: domestic and social is present in every known society. However, the definition of tasks considered as being domestic or social varies from one society to another as well as with the social and economic development, but the primary obligation which is assigned women is the performance of domestic work.

The International Labour Office welcomes such applications.

American Journal of Economics, 2016

Purpose : The purpose of the paper was to establish the relationship between women in informal labor market and household income in Mogadishu, Somalia. Methodology : The paper employed desktop methodology, which involved review of existing literature relating to the study topic. Results : Based on the findings the paper concluded that women in Somalia are not socialized as independent economic decision makers, which is the core of the entrepreneurial spirit. The study further concluded that women in Somalia experience numerous challenges which hinder their participation and productivity in the economy. Some of these challenges include; financial problem, violence against women, lack of sufficient knowledge and family problems. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy : The study recommended that Somali government should ensure that there is no violence against women and should put in place institutions to advocate for the rights of women. Further, the Somali government sho...

2017

This paper uses a cross-sectional data to explore the impact that informal sector has on income variation across different income categories. Instead of using GINI coefficient, the paper considers income shares of decile groups of population. The results reflect a dual role of informal sector in economy. On one hand, informal sector could reduce the gap between income earners at the bottom level of income categories. On the other hand, the size of informal sector could exacerbate the gap between top income earners and other categories indicating further concentration of income. Some implications are discussed.