Empowerment of Women Vendors:
A Right Based Approach
For: North East Research & Social Work Network, Kokrajhar, BTC, Assam
Submitted on: 22nd of September, 2010
CONTENTS
Abstract
Acknowledgement
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
The task was mammoth, in terms of the adjustment and skill required to carry it out. With firm mind we pressed the trigger under the guidance of Mr. Raju Narzary, Executive Director, NERSWN, who held his guiding torch till the last day. His suggestions and valuable inputs had made this task tonnes lighter. We whole heartedly appreciate the untiring facilitation of the staffs, Purnima, Ajoli, Joba, Janak and Irani in NERSWN who accompanied us in data collection and field survey amidst their busy schedules and sacrificing their day offs.
We also would like to extend our thankful gratitude to the Executive director for arranging a place to stay. We had been given free access to resources like computer, vehicles and available literature which were all crucial for the fulfilment of the research work.
To end with a concluding note, the survey research is a base line survey report carried out in a very limited period of time. However, we also uphold the value of it as a tool for reference for learners. We expect that the research will in some way help the readers to understand the adverse situation of women vendors in the research area, and critically reflect on it for corrective suggestions and inputs. As for the organisation and interested individuals and groups, this is an unfinished work and can be willingly carried further either in the field of intervention and exploration.
Kokrajhar, Assam (STEPHAN L. HMAR)
(THANGLIANMUNG TONSING)
ABSTRACT
“If properly regulated, according to the exigency of the circumstances, the small traders on the sidewalks can considerably add to the comfort and conveniences of the general public, by making available ordinary articles of everyday use for a comparatively lesser price. An ordinary person, not very affluent, while hurrying towards his home after a day’s work, can pick up these articles without going out of his way to find a regular market. The right to carry on trade or business mentioned in Article 19 (1) g of the Constitution, on street pavements, if properly regulated, cannot be denied on the ground that the streets are meant exclusively for passing or re-passing and no other use.” (Sodan Singh & Other versus New Delhi Municipal Council)
India is one of the country known for its large population consumed with the problem of illiteracy, poverty and unemployment. In the backdrop of the failure of the Government to generate employment to the efficient at one hand, and, the inefficiency of numerous population to take up skill base work in permanent basis on the other hand, makes vending a handy and daily income generating source for thousands of households. The historicity of street vending is not very recent in our context. May it be urban or rural set up they are found sitting at one corner of the market place or knocking at our front doors. The occupation is a source of income generation for marginalised poor.
However, with the investment of limited resources and capital whatever is profited from the trade is not sufficient to fulfil the needs of these poor families. At this situation it is imperative to acknowledge the contribution made by women vendors in facilitating convenient, efficient and cost-effective distribution of goods to the public. Moreover, they contribute significantly to local economic growth and vitality to rural economies. These understandings suggest that there is a scope in revitalising their role through the collective socio economic empowerment of the women vendors and their dependents. The representative NGOs can play a vital role firstly, in mobilising and organising these groups of women to assert their right to space and dignity in public places and secondly can take up a holistic socio-economic development approach by providing training schemes and projects for the dependents.
CHAPTER – I
Introduction to the Research Study
Title:
“Empowerment of Women Vendors: A Right Base Approach”
Rationale:
Accordingly, the starting point for the emancipation and empowerment of the vendors is the recognition of their positive role in providing essential commodities to the people at affordable prices and at convenient places. It follows the recognition of “vending” and “no vending zones” based on regulations in consistent with the imperative to ensure free flow of traffic, smooth movement of pedestrians and maintenance of cleanliness and public hygiene while facilitating street vendors to sell goods at convenient locations frequented and accessible by the public.
In the context of the survey research, women vendors selling vegetables provide one of the basic needs to the general masses while eking out a living through their own enterprise, limited resources and labour. They facilitate convenient, efficient and cost-effective distribution of goods to the public. They also contribute significantly to local economic growth and vitality to rural economies. The research recognizes that these women vendors constitute an integral part of the rural retail trade and distribution system for daily necessities of the general public. As the trade assist the government in combating unemployment and poverty, it is duty of the State and public authority to protect their right of these micro-entrepreneurs to earn an honest living and facilitate the improvement of their trade and livelihood in every way possible through policy and schemes.
Conceptualisation:
Vendor: For the purpose of the survey research “Vendor” is defined as ‘a person who offers goods for sale to the public in the street and footpath without having a permanent built-up structure. The research takes in consideration women who are engaged in the specified trade. In the context of the research ‘goods” here refer to fresh vegetables which are purchased by the women vendors in bulk from nearby villages and later sold in the m public market place with some increments.
Town Vending Committee: The term means the body constituted by an appropriate Government for protecting the livelihoods of street vendors while at the same time imposing reasonable restrictions, if necessary, for ensuring flow of traffic and for addressing concerns relating to public health and hygiene in the public interest.
Natural Market: The term “Natural Market” means a market where sellers and buyers have traditionally congregated for more than a specified period for the sale and purchase of a given set of products or services as assessed by the local authority.
Literature Review: The specified area of research has not yet been studied in academic engagement. There are no primary documents available on the specified area. North East Research and Social Work Networking a right base organisation has been working with the group of women vendors since its inception in 2004. The organization has documented in its Annual Reports some facts and findings of the group of vendors from Kokrajhar and Gossaigaon area in the field of health, livelihood and social emancipation.
For the purpose of basic functional references Central Government policy on National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, 2009 has been considered. Sharit K. Bhowmik’s[2] work on National Policy for Street Vendors was handy in understanding various facets of the policy its regulation, provision and recommendations.
Objectives:
- To identify the women vendors and developing their profile
- To develop the status of socio-economic dependents of women vendors and their role in vending.
- To enquire possibility of provision and promotion of supportive environment for the vast mass of rural women vendors to carry out their vocation while at the same time ensuring that their vending activities do not lead them to any unhealthy environment in public spaces and streets.
- To mobilize and promote, where necessary, organisation of women vendors e.g. associations/ co-operatives to facilitate their collective empowerment.
- To understand the prevalent interventions and suggest other possible interventional strategies.
Target Area:
Kokrajhar is one of the twenty-three districts of Assam and can be described as the gateway to the north eastern region of India. The North East Indian Railways divides the city into two sides, north and the south. Kokrajhar city is the headquarters of Kokrajhar district and the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
The district has total area of 3,169.22 sq. km. As per the 2001 India Census, it has a total population of 31,152. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. It has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 74%. In Kokrajhar, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
It is occupied by different communities and cultures. The main inhabitants are Assamese, Bengalis, Bodos, Garo, Raj bunshis, and Santhalis. The coulorful Bodo community comprises the majority in Kokrajhar district.
Gossaigaon is one of the small towns in the district of Kokrajhar, Assam. This is a sub-divisional head quarter of Kokrajhar District (BTAD). This place is well connected by Ground transportation and rail roads, hence is a good business place.
As per the 2001[update] India Census, Gossaigaon had a population of 13,267. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Gossaigaon has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 68%. In Gossaigaon, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.Besides, the demographic break up of the population is mostly comprises with the Scheduled Tribe (PT), second position occupies religious minority and the third position is held uop by the Adivasi people.
Methodology
- Market areas Gossaigaon: Teenali, Charali, Daily Market and Main Market
- Market areas in Kokrajhar: Daily Market and Main Market
- Both of the areas for in-depth interview with different stakeholders
House Visits
- Houses of women vendors to meet their dependents for in-depth interview
- For women vendors to prepare their personal and occupational profile
- For the socio-economic dependents of the women vendors to know their personal details and perception about the trade.
In depth interview guide
- For various stakeholders of women vending trade to understand their perception about the trade.
Focus group discussion
- With women vendors to understand their daily life pattern, occupational engagement, and issues related to health, rights and awareness of policy directed towards vendors.
Sample design
- Sample size for profile of women vendors : 94
- Sample size for dependent : 20
- Sample size for stakeholders : 10
The pattern of sampling is snow ball for dependents, convenient sampling for profile of women vendors and purposive for the stakeholders.
CHAPTER – II
Process in the Trade and Timeline: Women Vendors (Vegetable)
The first step involved in the process of vending vegetable is to arrange a suitable capital for purchasing good. Most of the women engaged in the trade have said that they initially started up with taking credits from Mahajans/ businessmen. In the long run with the accumulation of come profits they would pay back the loan with some interest. However, since most of them are not accustomed with the habit of savings they would use up whatever is profit is generated in a day and will be left with the capital only to carry on the vending the next day.
They would purchase vegetables from a village market in bulk which are set up in certain days of the week. The other sources are the sabji mandis in the nearby town and sometimes the products from their own gardens. However, the later is a very rare case with most of the women vendors. They have to depend more on the village markets where villagers from interior area comes and sell their products in bulk in cheaper price. These women vendors highly depend on the vegetable products of the villagers.
The women vendors do not have proper packaging facilities. They would simply tie up the vegetables in a bundle with weeds and sack ropes. They use polythene to pack the sold item.
The natural market place is far from their villages and the means of transportation is inefficient. They have to load their goods on head from home to nearby road and wait for passenger trackers (public transport vehicles). Some who has cycle would transfer it through cycle.
After the sale of the vegetables the women would go back to their homes and do some household chores and make calculations of their income.
The study reveals that these women sit in the market in two shifts. Morning shift begins from 7:00 am to 12:30 noon in most of the cases while evening shift begins from 2:30 pm and goes up to 7:30 pm. It would not be an exaggeration to add that most of the women vendors have merely 5-6 hours of sleep a day. The table below is an average time line of daily Livelihood routine of 25 women vendors.
Daily Livelihood time line of women vendors
A focus group discussion with twenty women vendors was carried out to understand their daily livelihood pattern. Their daily activity can be said as very routinal and hardly there is any space for variations in the absence of any calamity or uncertain event. Their day begins early in the morning around 5:00 am. The next one hour is time to freshen up and doing household chores. They would leave for the market with their goods as early as 7:00 am as they have to occupy their regular place in the market if not it can be encroached by any other person engaged in the same work. The next five hours up to 12:00 noon is spent in the market place selling their goods. At times they make take some more time if all of their vegetables are not sold. However by 1:00 pm they have to be back and quickly arrange with their spouses vegetables to be sold in the consequent market day.
They would go for lunch and invest some time in weaving, kitchen garden and other household works as appropriate. They would leave from home by 3:00 pm afternoon to attend another round of selling in the market place. This time they may shift their place to other close by market. They will be engaged in the market till 7:00 pm. When they come back home after selling the vegetables they would take up the task of arranging vegetables for the consequent day.
After the preparation for the next day market, they will start cooking by 8:00 pm as their children would like to go to study and retire to bed early. From 9:00 pm to an hour past nine they will serve dinner to their family members and later have it once everyone is done with. They will wind up all the cleaning up of kitchen by 10:00pm and will retire to bed by 11:00 pm as they have to wake up early in the morning. This is a rough estimated sketch of the daily livelihood pattern of women vendors form the outcome of the FGD carried out with twenty women vendors in Gossaigaon.
This is evident that women vendors are the one who shoulders extra responsibility in the family. Their daily life is so routinal that one cannot expect any form if entertainment or amusement. However they have become so versatile and enduring that even after bearing the responsibility of vending in the market they untiringly without much complains carries over the household chores much efficiently.
CHAPTER - III
Basic profile of the vendors
As per the study, the women who are engage as vending in the markets of Gossaigaon and Kokrajhar belongs to thirty six villages. A total of nineteen villages in the sub-division of Gossaigaon and seventeen villages in the sub-division of Kokrajhar respectively. The average age of the women vendors are 39.5 years (39 years in Gossaigaon Market and 40 years in Kokrajhar Market). The youngest women vendor noted is of the age twenty-five year and the eldest one is of sixty years old for both the places.
There are fifteen widow women[3] and three single women[4], they both comprise of fifteen per cent and three per cent of the total sample size or the respondents. They are in fact the sole bread earner in the family. The largest family noted from the data is seven family members and the smallest family falls to a woman who is single.
Ninety-six per cent of the women vendors are the Bodo, they formed the majority. Next to them is the Koch Rajbunsi which comprises of two per cent. The Bengali and Bangsi comprises of only one per cent.
Basic Household Facilities
Without considering their access to National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, seventy-four per cent of the women vendors as a household has Job Card as guaranteed by the Act, NREGA aiming to provide hundred days employment, may it be skilled or manual labor for one person in each household, in particular rural India.
Seventy-two per cent of the women vendors as a household has Ration card to avail basic commodities such as food grains, kerosene oil, oil, etc. at a cheaper rate through PDS. Of which, seven per cent have a Card of Above Poverty Line, six per cent of them have Antodaya Card and a huge number of household falls to a Card indicating them as Below Poverty Line. i.e. fifty-nine per cent.
Sixty-three per cent of the vendors’ home remain dark without electricity for reasons of their inability to pay the charges or the village is not yet electrified. Besides electricity, sixty-five per cent of the vendors and their family do not have an access to Primary Health Center (PHC) or Sub Center in their villages. Primary Health Center at an average is located within a distance of three kilometres from their villages. Even worst, some of the Primary Health Center is located as far as six kilometres from their village.
Husbands’ Occupation
For some of the vendors, they are the sole bread winner of the family and taking up several responsibilities. However for the others, it could be seen that they are also supported by their husband in every possible ways to meet the ends. Forty-three per cent of their husbands are engaging in cultivation. This formed the highest percentage of husbands’ occupation. They are either engaged in their own agricultural land or as a tiller.
Fourteen per cent of their husbands are also engaged in vending – either opening tea shop or helping their wife (women vendors) and the other twelve per cent of the women could not specify their husbands’ occupation. Thirteen per cent of them are engaged as daily wage laborer earning a wage ranging from Rs. 100/- to 150/- and seven per cent of them are engaged as business man.
Another one per cent of their husbands are engaged in Primary Teacher, Government Employee (IVth Grade), Driver, Poojari, Ex-serviceman, Painter, Butcher, and Carpenter.
Following is the table showing the occupation of their husband:
The importance of learning emphasizes to enable the individual to put his/her potentials to optimal use are self-evident. However, looking at the educational level of the women vendors, the women in general has a poor educational background. As high as sixty-one per cent of the women vendors engaging in natural market is illiterate. Eighteen per cent of them had primary level education; eleven per cent of them had middle level education, seven per cent of them had higher education and only three per cent of the women vendor had been in to tenth standard or do not appear the examination.
Most of the women vendors did not have interest in education during their time and the remaining thirty-nine per cent were drop out[5] of education,for reasons of lack of interest; economic crisis in the family, death in the family, family pressure to marry and some to assist the family in meeting the end.
Pattern of Engagement in Natural Market
The study reveals that the pattern of engagement can be broadly classified into three viz. once a week, twice a week and throughout the week. Only two per cent of the women vendors came for vending in the natural market once a week, mostly on Saturday. Sixteen per cent of them came twice a week during the market days – Tuesday and Saturday for Gossaigaon Markets and Thursday and Sunday for Kokrajhar. As high as eighty-two per cent, these women came to natural market throughout the week without even taking any off day even in the weekend. The weekend used to become their busiest day.
Shift of Engagement
The shift of engagement can again be broadly divided into three viz. Morning shift (07:00 am to 12:00 pm), Evening shift (3:30 pm to 07:00 pm) and both – Morning and Evening. Thirty-six per cent (twelve in Gossaigaon and twenty-two in Kokrajhar) of the women used to come for vending in the morning and would go to their village or collect vegetables for in the evening. Thirty-one per cent (twenty in Gossaigaon and nine in Kokrajhar) of them would come to vend in the evening and would spend their morning time in gathering vegetables for sale, and a total of thirty-three per cent used to come to the natural market in both the shift – morning and evening.
Cost of Engagement
Alternative Occupation
There are a total of sixty-eight individual women vendors comprising as high as seventy-two per cent of the total sample size who do not have any alternative means to earn their livelihood but vending. These are the women who have no livelihood options.
The other twenty-eight per cent of the women could have livelihood options other than vending as well. Thirteen per cent are engaged in weaving, eight per cent in cultivation, four per cent in tea shop, and one per cent each in ICDS worker, daily wage laborer and house maid.
Daily Income
Land Holdings
As per the available data from the respondents of ninety-four women vendors. Sixty per cent of them claim to have agricultural land of their own irrespective of its area and productivity. This group of women vendors and their respective family also benefited from their land and could also get an agriculture outcome for sale in the natural market. Forty per cent of them do not have agriculture land of their own or in other words, they are landless.
Among these sixty per cent land owners, fourteen per cent of them have an area below 2 bigga, twenty-six per cent between three to five bigga; twenty per cent between six to ten bigga only one per cent of them claim to have an area of agricultural land eleven bigga and above.
Conclusion
Vending in the street is one of the largest categories of informal work employing women. The low costs of entry and flexible hours make vending an attractive option for poor women; for many, it is the only option they have to meet the ends. As compared to men, female vendors are more likely to operated in insecure or illegal spaces, trade in less lucrative goods, generate a lower volume of trade. As a result, they tend to earn less than male vendors.
There is a proliferation of street vendors in the cities and towns because of poverty and unemployment. Despite the useful services they render to the society, they are looked upon as hindrance to the planned development of the towns and cities, both by the elite Urbanities and the town-planners. These street vendors are subjected to constant mental torture by the local authorities and are harassed in different ways, which at times often lead to riotous situations.
Moreover, there is hardly any policy consistent with the needs of these vendors. In spite of their valuable contribution to the economy – rural and urban, and also in distributing system of goods and services, little attention has been paid to the services offered by them. Vendors are either overlooked or looked down as something to be controlled or as an eyesore to be removed.
CHAPTER - IV
Status of the Socio-Economic Dependents of Women Vendors
Profile of the dependents:
The dependents in the context of the research refers to group and individual who are directly or indirectly depending on women vendors for meeting their various basic livelihood need. The coverage of the survey was focussed in two main areas; Kokrajhar and Gossaigaon. The first group of the dependents’ status was extracted from Kokrajhar area. Under this area, four villages were visited namely Adabari, Batabari and Chotaadabari. The second group of dependents were from again three villages of Gossaigaon area namely, Ballamguri, Malaguri and Polasguri. Total seven villages from the two areas were visited to gather information of the dependents of women vendors.
Snow ball sampling was employed for the sampling of the dependents of women vendors. Most of the dependents were either engaged in their personal work, schooling and helping in vending their women. However, the researchers were aware to make the samples variant and diverse in terms of age, sex and occupation, in order to contain views and opinions from different mindset.
The youngest dependent selected was 12 years old while the oldest was 65 years old. He average age of the dependants was calculated to be 34.3 years. Most of the dependents belong to 10-20 years age group followed by 41-50 years age group. The first group of the dependents are totally dependent on their parents as they are all engaged in studies or wither dropped out. The later age group dependents are the once who either are engaged in own business, vending or cultivation. So they are more or less contributor in the income of the family.
Among the dependents 35% of them are unmarried and 65% married while the ration of male and female is 17:3. The percentage of dependents who are the spouse of women vendors is 55% while 35% of them are the children of women vendors. In order to be more inclusive the researcher has included one dependent who is a daughter-in-law of a women vendor to incorporate her perception about the trade.
From the total of 20 dependents it has been revealed that 40% of the dependent are pursuing education higher than matriculation. The sum up of 42.6% out of 75 cumulative dependents are students. At the same time 25% of the respondents are illiterate who mostly the spouses of the women vendors. The number of dependents engaged in cultivation and daily wage labor are 14.6% and 18.6% respectively which is also a point of concern. This clearly depicts the unavailability of job alternatives and inefficiency of required skills to take up skilled work. The awareness of the importance of school education is much higher compared to other days. Most of the women vendors are sending their children to schools and even to colleges to attain higher education.
Most of the families are nuclear which is the emerging trend in both rural and urban set up. The percentage of nuclear family among the respondents is comparatively higher. It can be also seen through the research that most of the women vendors are composed of smaller family size less than five members. However in some cases the children got married and preferred to stay away and start their own family livelihood under different roof.
Economic Condition
The study reveals that out of 20 dependents 100% of them are relying on vending as the primary source of income for the household. Cultivation and daily wage labor contributes major source of income. In addition most of the families who are engaged in vending have to rely on cultivation and daily wage labor as the complimenting source of income. These three are major source of income for 80% of the families. It has been found that these bulk of families are engaged in three of the occupation namely, vending, cultivation and daily wage labor in order to sustain their family. The 20% of the family who feels that their income is not sufficient for sustaining their family is either lacking in the later two engagements. We can analyse that land holding and availability of family members to take up other source of income is very crucial to sustain the family appropriately. The income generated by the women of the family though vending is not well enough to meet all the needs and run the family sufficiently.
Efficiency of the dependents
The economic condition of a family can be improved by collective contribution of family members in income generation activities. The efficiency of the dependents to carry out various skilled and semi skilled work is discouragingly very low. Out of 16 respondents who can give their opinion four of them confined themselves to household chores. However, nine of them who are basically unmarried and still pursuing their higher studied have shown interest in taking up various skill base training such as, painting, tailoring, knitting, mechanics and driving etc.
Family History
There has been a sad history of tribal conflict in Lower Assam during the mid 90s which has affected several inhabitants forcing displacement and losing of properties. The livelihood, health, and education of the affected people were highly affected by the same. The researchers sought to unveil among the twenty respondents whether there has been any family among them affected by displacement. The study reveals that among the respondents there has been only one family who has to undergo displacement because of the conflict. Mangal Koch who belongs to Rabha tribe has to move along with his family to Polasguri due to the conflict. They have lost their lands and other properties. They have shifted from one place to another at some point of time looking for livelihood and later got settled in Polasguri.
In many cases death of the sole bread earner can lead to total collapse of the family in terms of economic, education and occupational condition. In some cases close relatives and siblings death can also add extra load to an already struggling family. In the case of Sachit Narzary’s family his sister-in-law has died five year ago. Since then in order to sustain the family the brother has to work outside of the village as a driver while his son was looked after by the former. Family history of any sort of sickness reveals that only Projan Brahma’s daughter staying in Adabari village under Kokrajhar area has died of Jaundice in the past 5 years. Presently, there is no history of sickness among the family and the rest of the family of the respondents.
Interest towards Alternative occupation
It has been already revealed in the study that the income that is generated women of the family through vending alone is not sufficient to sustain the family. It has to be complimented with income from cultivation and daily wage labor and other sources of income generation. It has been also found that 8% dependents relatives are unemployed, 18.6% are daily wage labourer and 5.3 % of them are housewife. The rationale to carry out this investigation is to see the possibility of giving a skill base training to them in one hand or assistance to carry out any semi skilled work to uplift the income generation of the family as a whole. Even though 75% of the respondents have access to job card the employment generation under NREGA is far from realisation. BPL ration card though be available to 80% of the families is not sufficiently able to suffice the food grain need of the family.
The willingness to take up alternative training is equally balanced among the respondents. There are 70% of the willing respondents who are ready to take up skill base training to compliment the source of family income. Semi skill income like running tea shop is a good source of income in daily basis. 20% of the dependents are willing to take up the same to generate income. Among the ten willing dependents all o them will be available for training of their respective interest. Along with them three of their relatives would be also available for training if appropriate platform is set forth for them.
Hindrances to socio-economic condition to the family
The researchers tried to sought out basic hindrances which adversely affects the socio-economic condition of the family. Substance abuse and addictive habit is main of the hindrance to socio-economic development in tribal rural context. Through the interaction with most of the dependents it has been revealed that there has been no case of drug addiction. However, use of tobacco and beetel nut is habitual and has cultural affiliation. So it is common in most of the families. Alcoholism is one of the major factors which affects the socio-economic condition of household of women vendors. 75% of the dependents testify that a good share of their income is wasted in purchasing of local alcohol. Because of this most of the families are not able to save any portion of profit as savings for the future. Apart from this when one gets into the influence of alcohol it creates nuisance in the family and creates tension and unnecessary arguments within the family members.
Conclusion
The study of the socio-economic status of the dependents of women vendor was necessary primarily to understand the sustainability and competence of the trade. The researcher sought to investigate various groups of dependents differing in age, sex and occupation. The study reveals that the income of women vendors alone is not a sufficient economic means to run the household. There is need of additional complimenting occupation.
In the absence of any job opportunity and financial assistance the dependents are helpless and lands up at home jobless or either engaged in daily wage worker. The study has revealed that within the investigated dependents there are possibilities where alternative occupation through appropriate training can be carried out under some projects. However, this degree of willingness and interest among many of the dependents is low because of illiteracy and lack of financial assistance to start up any such alternative occupation either skilled or semi skilled base occupation. Among the dependents there is unanimous agreement that the trade of women vendors should be carried along as it has been a basic source of income for majority of them since ages.
CHAPTER – V
Understanding Stakeholders’ Perception on Women Vendors
Stakeholders are the person who on one hand are directly or indirectly affected by or on the other hand affects the women vendors in their respective businesses. These are the people closely associated and precisely know the women vendor in this case. However, none of them have any family linkage with women vendors. The sampling of the stakeholder was diverse and done in purposive manner. They are daily engaged in their respective shops in the natural market and are in close contact with women vendors. Women vendors occupy space in front of their shops and sell their vegetables.
The finding from the sampling of ten stakeholders’ shows that most of them are middle aged adult who has been in the occupation for more than 5 years. In the process of their engagement in their occupation they have been observing and interacting with some of the women vendors time to time.
Perception of the trade: women-vendor
The entire respondent agrees that vending is because of the need of the family to sustain their livelihood. Tapan Das the Jeweller who has set up his shop for last 15 years argues that these women vendors are economically poor and jobless. On the same note Raju, a mobile shop owner feels sad at their pathetic condition in the market. They have to sit on the road side, footpath, and over drainage which sink alot. They have no proper facility to resist rain water and heated sunlight. The rest of respondents feel good as they share closer space and commonality in terms of their goods. The pan shop owner, Sunil Sarkar responds that the market functions through their mutual transaction of selling and buying and so they help to sustain each other’s business.
Space and Shed
The Town Vending Committee in the specified area has not yet provided any vending zone as such to women vendors neither in Kokrajhar nor in Gossaigaon market area. This is one of the area where the Gossaigaon Aijw Phalangi Apad and Kokrajhar Aijw Phalangi Aphad[6] are mobilised to demand. Chandan Sarkar who has been selling egg in Tinali for past 12 years has seen the bad condition of the vending place. He said that the TVC has never taken initiation to provide space and shed for these women. Tapan Das has the same story to narrate from his 15 years of experience in Tinali market area. Altogether eight of the respondent proposed a shed and space for them. At times of rain, their vegetables get washed off by flowing water in the street which makes them unhygienic. In some cases their fresh vegetables get dried up when over exposed under sunlight. However, they should be willing to pay the appropriate tax and charges to set up the shed. The two vegetable shop owner, Dulal Shah and Gopal Shah from Main market, Gossaigaon argues that they should not be given a separate space rather should get incorporate in same market area as that will cause scattering of the frequently visiting customers.
Spaces of improvement in the vending surrounding
Most of the women vendors in the natural market area have been carrying out vending since many years. Their condition with regard to space, shed and proper hygiene in the surrounding has not been taken into consideration all those years. Chandan Sarkar proposed for better facility of drinking water for them in the market area. The drainage over which they sell their vegetables should also be cleaned in periodical basis as water and market waste has stagnated on them which have become booming place for insects and mosquitoes. This causes hazard to their health. The other respondents have agreed in one note that they should be allocated proper vending zone which should be properly maintained by the TVC and other responsible authority. Manoj Shah, a grocery shop owner in Makin Market, Gossaigaon, expose that there is no such space for improvement and feels that the women themselves are not interested in for claiming of space as they are happy with whatever little space they get in any corner of the natural market.
Possibility of Alternate Occupation
It is evident that the massive and numerous spread of women vendors around the natural market place, occupying spaces in front of the permanent shops creates lack of space for movement for general mass. Through our interaction with shop keepers and customers it has been revealed that they are least bothered about them. As their number is increasing and taking it as a hazardous occupation Chandan Sarkar points out that it will be good if the educated and young ones can be mobilized for taking up some alternative occupation by giving appropriate training by the initiatives of NGOs. The rest of the respondents are quit in this matter. They perceive the women vendors as illiterate and having no other option then doing what they are doing. Moreover, they have lack of interest in taking up any other alternative occupation. So, ageing, lack of interest, illiteracy and skills seems to be the primary hindrance for the women vendors to take up any other form of occupation. Manohar Hussain, a vegetable vendor in Tinali with three year experience in his occupation, precisely pointed out that the need and demand of these women and their family is daily basis, so they cannot skip any time for training. According to them their families are sustained by the daily income of these women so this occupation seems to be the most fitting as of now to meet the need and demand of their respective families.
Benefits from the women vendors
There is undoubtedly unanimous agreement in the fact that these women vendors considerably add to the comfort and convenience of the general public, by making ordinary articles of everyday use for a comparatively lesser price. In the context of the survey research, women vendors selling vegetables provide one of the basic needs to the general masses. They facilitate convenient, efficient and cost-effective distribution of goods in terms of fresh vegetables to the public. They also contribute significantly to local economic growth and vitality to rural economies.
However, the three respondents who are vegetable vendors argued that they do not have any benefits from these women vendors as such. Dulal Shah who has been selling vegetables in Main market, Gossaigaon for nine years objected that they instead attract and encroach his customer to which he is helpless. The main reason behind this is the fact that these women sell fresh and attractive vegetables which are closer to the reach of the customer. These vegetable vendors are little more interior in the natural market. They also pointed out the fact that as they are all selling some common goods so they hardly are in any sort of transaction in terms of buying and selling.
The rest of the dependents pointed that women vendors are their only easily assessable source of fresh vegetables. Ratan Daimary, a fruit seller in Main Market, Gossaigaon, says that as some women use to sit in front of his fruit shop, when some customers approach them the customer in turn gets closer to his commodities as well. In this manner he benefits the attention of the customer as well through them. Tapan Das testifies that good number of the women came to buy jewellery from his shop and he benefits most in times of festivals. Sunil Sarkar, the Pan Shop owner, reveals that the women buy polythene from his shop in daily basis.
The survey study reveals that apart from the case where stakeholders are engage in selling of common goods with the women vendors, the rest of the stakeholders benefits from them. Women vendors are undoubtedly making easy and cheaper access to fresh vegetables. They share customers and in turn sustain each other in mutual transaction of economy through buying and selling of goods from each other.
Things at stake because of women vendors
Public roads and spaces in India are narrow and out of space. This is not different in the case Kokrajhar and Gossaigaon. When road sides and footpaths are occupied by women vendors it necessarily limits the available space especially in natural market area. However, even in the National Policy for Street Vendors it has been clearly specified that vendors have equal right to carry out their trade in public spaces provided they do not create unnecessary nuisances to the public. Much have been discussed to offer special vending space and days for vendors but not much have been materialize from the side of public authorities. It is an urgent wake up call for the concerned public authority and TVCs to take up the issue of vending space in the specified area.
The study reveals that five of the stakeholders who have their own permanent shop in natural market argued the lack of space created by these women vendors. They often block ways for movement for their customers as the women sits outside their shop. In terms of economic competition the group of permanent vegetable vendors views the women vending trade as a challenge for them as they have to compete for frequently visiting customers. The egg seller and the pan shop owner however, have no problem with their business in terms of economic competition.
The survey research has sought to approach and interact with diverse stakeholders in the limited time and space. The researchers were focussed to gather required information for diverse stakeholders in term of their occupation, age, and duration of engagement in their respective work. The motif was to consummate diverse perception of the stakeholders about the women vendors and their occupation.
The interview schedule guide was focused to extract their perception of women vending occupation, need of improvement of the environment with regard to the need for creating vending zone, possibility to incorporate any alternative occupation for women if applicable, and the things they benefit and on the other hand things at stake because of women vendors.
The outcome of the study is diverse and complex. The respondents suggest that economic condition of the subjects and lack of job and skill is main reason for them to engage in the trade. So, their trade is a means to meet their basic need out of option as is the case of millions of others. In the past there has been lack of intervention by the TVCs and concerned public authorities which is a sign of lack of interest and total ignorance on their side to the plight of these women vendors. The stakeholders agreed that these women vendors facilitate convenient, efficient and cost-effective distribution of goods to the public. They also contribute significantly to local economic growth and vitality to rural economies in mutual transaction of selling and buying of commodities. It should be noted that their contribution in vital in sustaining the market and provision of basic needs to the public mass.
CHAPTER – VI
Suggestions and Recommendations
The National Policy on Street Vendors tries to follow the guidelines of the Supreme Court judgment. It is an important document as it tries to restore some dignity to vendors. Its introduction states: "The role played by the street vendors in the economy as also in the society needs to be given due credit but they are considered as unlawful entities and are subjected to continuous harassment by civic authorities".
It further states that "this policy tries to ensure that this important section of the urban population finds recognition for its contribution to society, and is conceived of as a major initiative for urban poverty alleviation." The main objective of the policy is to "provide and promote a supportive environment for earning livelihoods to the street vendors, as well as ensure absence of congestion and maintenance of hygiene in public spaces and streets". This may appear contradictory. The police and municipal authorities, backed by the so-called citizens' groups who fight for appropriation of public spaces, would argue that street vendors cause congestion and create unhygienic conditions. If street vendors are allowed to function streets cannot be free of congestion. This is not at all true.
Appropriate Rural development plans must take these women vendors who operated in the street and road sides as a part of the planning process and only then can there be any impression of order. There should be initiatives to tackle these problems through democratic means and collective action. Normally hawking and no-hawking zones are designated by the civic or police authorities. Town and Ward committees are appropriate to take care of these issues. These committees will have representatives of the municipal authority, traffic and local police, associations of shopkeepers, traders and residents' associations and representatives of street vendors. The representation of street vendors will be from membership based organisations.
It is often found that apart from forcible evictions, street vendors are removed from streets under the guise of beautification of pavements. At times, shops or residential plots encroach on pavements by cordoning off a portion in order to plant trees or flowers there. These kinds of encroachments often hinder pedestrians more severely than those by street vendors. The beautification and clean up programmes undertaken by the towns should involve street vendors in a positive way as a part of the beautification programme.
2. Legalising Street Vending
One of the ways of legalising street vendors is by issuing licences to them. The municipal authorities are thus able to keep a check on the number of vendors and can also earn revenue through licence fees and other charges.
However on the other hand there should be a simple registration of street vendors for access to public spaces in accordance with planning standards and nature of trade/ service. Registration should be renewed after some interval of time. The registration fees, monthly maintenance charges and fines, if any, should be collected by the concerned TVC.
3. Self-Regulation and Organisation
Street vendors can be assets to the rural system if they are given the opportunity to contribute to its development. It is these people and their representative NGOs who, it seems, can take on the responsibility of improving the towns and villages. The fact is that no plan for improving the rural area can be successful without the participation of these groups. They need to be integrated into the planning process and in campaigns for a better environment. Their involvement in keeping the pavements clean could be very beneficial. If this is violated, the TVC can take action by imposing fines or by asking the offenders to close their business.
4. Interventional Strategies of representative NGOs
1. Access to Credit: Most of the women vendors are poor and are unfamiliar with the benefits of savings. AT time of dire need credits can be given to them for purchasing their goods for selling. Many of them stay far from the market places which are yet not connected to public transport. They have to load their goods by themselves. Loans can be providing to them for buying cycle. The initiative of NERSWN is commendable in this regard as they provide micro loans to these women in need base to purchase cycle.
2. Skill- Base training: The study reveals that the income generated from vending is not sufficient to run the family. Due to poverty many of the women cannot afford their children proper school education which is so much required to sit for any competitive exam for government and private corporate jobs. Though education may not be attained but focus can be put on enhancing and developing the skills of the dependents of women vendors.
Once they learned the needful skills there is possibility that they will be able to take up skill base occupation and contribute in economic development of the household and in turn become independent.
3. Financial assistance for Semi-Skilled Occupation: In some cases the dependents may be aged, physically challenged and illiterate. These factors may create lack of interest and motivation, inability to take up skill base training. In that case NGOs can help these dependents to get financial assistance from bank to start shops like tea stall, pan shop etc.
[2] Sharit K. Bhowmik, National Policy for Street Vendors, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 38, No. 16 (Apr. 19-25, 2003)
[3] 10 in Gossaigaon and 5 in Kokrajhar
[4] 2 in Gossaigaon and 1 in Kokrajhar
[5] A person who withdraws from schools, especially high school before graduating or leaving a group for either practical reasons, necessities or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves
[6]These are the two women vendors association mobilized and organized by NERSWN in Gossaigaon and Kokrajhar area in different market places for taking up women vendors issues in public platform. Aijw means Women; Falangi means vendors, and Aphad means organization or association