This project, led by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), focuses on the effects of the socioeconomic crisis created by the Covid-19 pandemic on informal women workers in India, particularly street vendors in the context of shrinking state support and gaps in access to social security.
The study emphasises the importance of understanding the specific opportunities and challenges faced by those engaged in informal work, especially women, so that policies are informed by and respond to their specific needs. It also provides valuable insights into how prevalent gender norms interact with gaps in state support to disproportionately impact the conditions of informal women workers when compared to male street vendors. ICRW successfully engaged with grassroots organisations to advise them on how their programmes can be more inclusive and responsive to the differentiated needs of women street vendors.