| Summary: | Report of quantitative data cross tabulations from 516 interviews with street traders in Dakar, Dar es Salaam and Ahmedabad. In many cities of the global south, informal employment now provides 60-80% of urban jobs. Street trade is one of the informal economy’s largest, most visible and contested domains. Legislation covering street trade is complex, poorly documented and erratically applied, and many traders face constant risk of devastating and unpredictable evictions. The research explored the fragmented and plural regulatory environment facing street traders, and conflicts between formal and informal regulatory systems that deepen vulnerabilities for the working poor. The research drew on three core academic debates: the role of law in urban development; the paradigm of legal empowerment of the poor, and the potential of rights-based approaches in supporting fragile urban livelihoods. The research found widespread politicisation of street trade, harassment, evictions and marginalisation of street traders that suggests an urgent need for legal review and 'rights regimes' that respect the right to work and strengthen access to justice. The research calls for a reconceptualisation of urban public space as a land resource with access rights for the working poor balanced with other space needs. The global economic crisis brought into sharp relief the crucial role of the urban informal economy as a refuge for the working poor and major component of city economies. In many cities of the global south, informal employment now provides 60-80 percent of urban jobs. Street trade is one of the informal economy's largest, most visible and contested domains. Legislation covering street trade is complex, poorly documented and erratically applied, and many traders face constant risk of devastating and unpredictable evictions. The research explores the fragmented and plural regulatory environment facing street traders, and conflicts between formal and informal regulatory systems that deepen vulnerabilities for the working poor, especially in contexts of economic turmoil. The research draws on three core academic debates: the role of law in urban development; the paradigm of legal empowerment of the poor, and the potential of rights-based approaches in supporting fragile urban livelihoods. Case studies in four cities with different legal traditions, Dar es Salaam, Ahmedabad, Durban and Dakar, draw on extensive interviews with street traders, local authority officials and others. Researchers worked with street trader organisations to ensure that outputs contribute to improved policy development and support informal economy livelihoods.
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