Is street vending gender biased?

These two women as seen in the picture above are seated at their stalls amongst the many street vendors in Port of Spain. Upon various visits to Port of Spain, it has come to my attention that the majority of vendors during the working week are women. There is a more equal mix of genders on the weekends unlike during the week. Unlike seen above where the two women are selling clothing, they are not only subjected to this. They were also running their own fruit and vegetable stalls and selling jewellery just to name a few.

Women of all races and ethnic backgrounds tend to be drawn more towards street vending. One begs to question is this out of necessity or choice?

Those who also engage or partake in street vending are sometimes those who have been marginalized from the labour force. Also there is no form of rent being allocated to persons who decide to sell on the streets.

Sometime women turn to street vending not because of a lack of formal jobs but because of the types of formal jobs available. In some instances according to the Praeger Handbook of Urban Education ", in many instances women prefer the autonomous conditions (having the freedom to govern their self or control their own affairs) of street vending to the low wages and restricted supervision of formal sector jobs available to them.

According to Wiego,

 
"Street vending is one of the most significant categories of informal work for women. The low costs of entry and flexible hours make street vending an attractive option for poor women; for many, it is the only option.

In many countries, women represent the majority of street vendors. In Africa: women constitute more than two thirds of street traders in the main cities of Benin, Côte D’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Togo, and more than half in Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, and South Africa (Herrera 2012; Budlender 2011; ILO 2002). Women also form a majority of street traders in some cities in Asia and Latin America, including Hanoi (79%), Ho Chi Minh City (67%), and Lima (65%). In only a few countries where cultural norms restrict women’s economic activities do women account for 10 per cent or less of street vendors."

They also choose to leave the formal sector because the wages given are much less than what they are making from selling on the streets.

There are many reason for women to partake in street vending.

The list goes:

• Gender inequality
• Lack of jobs in the formal sector
• Incomplete education
• Preference (the freedom and ability to be their own boss)
• Only means to support their family

the list goes on and on but these seem to be the most major of them.

Reference

 Anderson, Philip M.,Kecia Hayes, Joe L. Kincheloe, Karel Rose, eds. The Praeger Handbook of Urban Education.Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc, 2006. Accessed March 25, 2014. http://books.google.tt/books?id=-nMhuTypMuQC&pg=PA32&dq=port+of+spain+vending&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ByxCU8WgFYK82gW51YGACw&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=port%20of%20spain%20vending&f=false.

Women in Informal Employment:Globalizing and Organizing. "Street Vendors." Accessed April 9,2014. http://wiego.org/informal-economy/occupational-groups/street-vendors.