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Helping To Empower Women Through The Informal Economy

18 March 2004

Small business in India

Some 80 per cent of the labour force in developing countries is in the informal economy and women make up most of it. This was the heart of a seminar on 'Women and Informal Economy' held on 16 March 2004 at the Commonwealth Club in London, UK.

Gender imbalance in the informal economy, where women are disadvantaged in terms of their rights and social protection, is common in developing countries, according to speakers at the seminar. 

Sarojini Thakur, Chief Programme Officer on Women and Economic Empowerment at the Commonwealth Secretariat, highlighted the needs, constraints and opportunities for women in the informal economy and avenues to promote good practices.

"There is a need to establish core labour standards to secure the rights of these informal wage workers, and a need for social protection in terms of security, insurance, maternity benefits, pensions and health services. Women suffer from various kinds of disadvantage including unequal access to productive resources, land, property and credit, and other constraints such as lack of time and mobility restrictions."

Ms Thakur announced the publication of two new books, one in the Gender Mainstreaming series and another on case studies, which will be available in September 2004. The Secretariat has also supported the publication of brochures on the informal economy.

Marilyn Carr, from the University of Sussex's Institute of Development Studies, spoke on the context of globalisation and the benefits that women have yet to reap.
 
She said, "Women make up a majority of the informal sector, especially in big manufacturing industries, yet they are paid so little compared to what people [who benefit from their products] are getting. This is an issue that needs to be addressed. Women need rights, protection and opportunities so that they can get out of this vicious cycle. Women's and non-governmental organisations are important and can play a huge role in fighting for these women's rights and make women's contribution to economic growth recognised both at the national and international level."