Women street and market vendors are often the major contributors to household income among poor families in Lahore, Pakistan according to research on women vendors in the informal economy.

The research was conducted for the Committee on Asian Women to build information on street vendors in Pakistan. Although women street and market vendors make a significant contribution to the informal economy in which 86% of women are employed, there is little information on their problems or understanding of how legislation and policy could assist them overcome the work problems they experience. The research shows that to support their families, as informal traders Lahore’s women have to overcome several obstacles that include getting around gender subordination that discourages women’s public participation and social mobility, little or no access to technologies that would increase their productivity and the problem of harassment in market places where they trade.

Among the 40 women street vendors interviewed for the research, it is reported that on average they brought home 63% of their household’s monthly income. Ninety percent of the women interviewed were illiterate but all were able to keep their accounts and conduct transactions without confusion or loss. The vendors interviewed for the research included women working as money-changers and fruit, vegetable, cloth, accessories, bangle, ready meals and processed food traders.

The biggest problem that they experienced is daily harassment from the Municipal Committee of Lahore. There is a shortage of places where they can safely trade because trading on the streets is not allowed. Although street traders used to pay rent for trading space, this was discontinued due to the misuse of funds collected by the Municipal Committee of Lahore.

Forty two percent identified their dependence on loans as a problem because after they deducted the interest, daily earnings were often very low. Eighteen percent wanted to be part of a pension scheme but knew such facilities were not available. For 28% of the women, health was a serious problem, especially if a family member was ill or if they missed a day’s trading and were then unable to feed their family.

Even though the women vendors experience a range of problems, none of the group interviewed said they knew of or had joined an organisation of women vendors. They said that they were not aware of a group where they could discuss their problems as vendors. They were also ignorant of government assistance schemes for women and the poor and of organisations that would assist them to get the working capital that would make it possible to buy goods to trade at a lower cost so they could earn more.

The research report recommends that street vendors in Lahore should unite and organise around their common concerns. This will enable them to use their collective power to solve their work problems and find ways to build their incomes.