Urban informal sector as livelihoods strategy: a case of women street vendors in Penang

This study sought to understand the livelihood strategies of urban poor women street vendors. Street vending is an economic activity under the informal sector as it requires no formal registration. This study was conducted in the morning market of Seberang Jaya, Penang, Malaysia. Women participating in this sector face various
challenges, constraints, vulnerability constraints and also some opportunities. Hence, there is a need to understand the dynamics of street vending activities. Placing the inquiry with the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework helped recognizing street vending as a survival strategy of urban poor women. The review of literature,
theories, concepts and prior empirical studies on both the informal sector and sustainable livelihood strategies helped identify the challenges, constraints, vulnerabilities, coping strategies and opportunities that faced by urban poor women street vendors. Case study research design with qualitative methodology with primary
data collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, field observations followed by document analysis as secondary data. Purposive sampling employed and 10 sample women street vendors were selected for this study. The challenges, coping
strategies and constraints faced by urban poor women were identified in the findings of this study. The practical and theoretical implications were suggested and discussed in this study. Government and other authorities must identify policies to help women cope with constraints to reduce the probability to be less vulnerable to challenges. Urban poor women street vendors fall in the bottom 40 income group and effective policy and right implementation of policy is required to help this group achieve
economic sustainability and rise from the bottom of the income pyramid. The study acts as the initial guideline for solving the everyday problems faced by urban poor women street vendors.