Data analysis is not only a technical exercise but a tool to build collective power for workers in the informal economy.

StreetNet International, in partnership with the Global Labour Institute and two affiliates (UTEP from Argentina and ZCIEA from Zimbabwe) has worked on a participatory research project, the Street Vendors Barometer. The research is part of the advocacy strategy of StreetNet on the topic of formalisation and implementation of Recommendation 204. The Barometer project aims to monitor and document the conditions of street vendors and market traders by developing a detailed understanding of the livelihoods, characteristics and key issues faced by street vendors and market traders. Moreover, it aims at equipping workers and their organisations with capacity to conduct meaningful research that can be used as evidence for advocacy and policy engagement.

A participatory research method

“The project builds on GLI’s experience in research and development initiatives undertaken in collaboration with unions and workers’ associations across various sectors of the informal economy” explains Georgia Montague-Nelson, executive director at GLI. “These initiatives also developed a ‘mentor union’ model, which facilitated the transfer of new skills and strategies between ‘mentor’ and ‘mentee’ unions”.

The Barometer project builds on these experiences and considers the workers not only “subjects” of the research, but equal partners in the process, through every stage “The approach also reflects the core values of democratic trade unionism, ensuring that membership-based associations representing informal economy vendors and market traders are actively involved in the research process and engaged from the start of project design to fieldwork and reporting”, Georgia continues. The benefits of such an approach are clear, both for researchers and for the workers. “The result is a more accurate and in-depth understanding of the informal economy, the key challenges affecting workers’ livelihoods and the conditions shaping their employment and working relationships. It also means that workers and unions have greater ownership of the outcomes of research. With local teams trained on undertaking field research, it also provides the space for local capacity-building for the union and its activists, opening up opportunities for further work to be undertaken. It has also proven to be an excellent tool for organising”. Data collection therefore becomes not only a knowledge creation process but an active way of building solidarity, power and strengthening advocacy.

The challenging path to formalisation

The research went into the fine grain of the livelihood of street and market vendors in the two countries, through questionnaires, focus groups and in-depth interviews. We found out, for example, that working conditions and access to facilities are a big challenge for vendors in both countries.

Sanitation, toilets and electricity are not In Zimbabwe, for example, the vast majority (85.2%) of workers lack access to functional water facilities. 91.5% of workers report no access to functional electricity at their workplace. Just 16.7% of respondents have access to free, unpaid toilets. In Argentina, 56.9% of survey respondents report not having access to toilets at their workplace. Of those who have access to sanitation facilities, just 32.9% report that gender-separated toilets are available, an invaluable source of safety and comfort for women vendors.

Another interesting finding is around taxation and the fees paid to authorities. In both countries vendors report paying up to hundreds of dollars every month in fees for their trading spaces. At the same time, they have difficulties in formalising their business, in obtaining permits and licenses from the municipal authorities for their vending spaces. Formalisation looks like a major challenge for vendors across the different contexts.

“Overall workers remain largely excluded from decision-making processes that directly affect their livelihoods” continues to explain Georgia Montague Nelson “Meaningful dialogue with authorities remains inconsistent or absent, and there are few mechanisms for consultation or negotiation. This leaves workers feeling powerless, excluded from decision-making of opportunities to formalise, and has contributed to a widespread lack of trust between workers and authorities. To bridge this gap, it is essential for authorities to acknowledge workers’ perspectives and establish formalised, transparent mechanisms and platforms for regular consultation, dialogue and negotiation with workers and their representative organisations.”

Meeting of field researchers in Buenos Aires

The voice of the affiliates

Participatory research is a powerful organising tool, as well as a way to build solidarity across different countries. “The participatory design and the leading role of workers in the research tasks, together with the spaces for reflection that form part of the design, provide an opportunity to deepen discussions and share experiences of organization and struggle among colleagues, comrades, and leaders” explains David Pena Rojas, from Utep. “In our case, we were able to have a training space run by colleagues who are national leaders in the organization. We were fortunate to work together with sister organizations from other countries in developing the research tools and to be able to conduct field tests, which allowed us to learn about and unify experiences, finding common ground among street vendor organizations from different parts of the world. The experience was enriching and gave us a broader perspective on the struggles and of the ways of organizing ourselves to improve our living conditions”.

It’s important for StreetNet to keep collaborating with research institutions, says Lorraine Ndlovu, StreetNet International’s president. “Research is a pivotal aspect of our advocacy, as it gives us empirical evidence on a number of issues affecting workers in the informal economy, as well as policies related to vendors and other workers. Only if we are aware of the situation, if we conduct rigorous research, we are able to speak with a strong voice”.