WORKSHOP B- INFORMAL ECONOMY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
civil societies and private sector. In developing an integrated framework, consideration should be given to the differing levels of development. Countries should consider their strengths and what could be offered to ensure the participation of women in the informal economy. Legislation that covered all
disciplines should be explored in order to eliminate the argument of legality and illegality of the opportunities that could be seized. It was acknowledged that countries could not have blanket policies as they were at different levels of development.
Recommendations from the Workshop
Recommendation One:
are not left behind and isolated from the mainstream development, and that economic growth benefits the poor, vulnerable and marginalized. An intense focus is required to eliminate disparities that are prevailing within the vulnerable segments that are denied opportunities and choices that are most fundamental to human development.
The dynamics of the formal economy law makers may be changed so that they may consider reducing the tax burden and other factors in the formal sector to allow more people to enter the formal economy.
Parliament can develop and adopt a co-operative model that will bring economic activities to the most rural areas. The model should be able to incorporate illiterate members of the community who are interested in entering the informal economy
and which will constitute support mechanism for those co-operatives in terms of facilitating financial trainings and enhance business skill. The co-operative model should ensure that preferential procurement system advances development as opposed to capital and the state should declare itself to be the primary market for co-operatives’ produce. This policy should be interlinked with the social security system and the local economic development plan at all levels of society.
As women encountered difficulties in paying back loans offered to them, legislation ensuring affordable conditions should be considered. Government could also give access to these businesses through offering financial schemes, skills and mentoring schemes. Private and public participation should be enhanced to ensure that
skills are also transferred from the more developed formal sector to the developing informal sector. In addition, effective policies are needed that could eliminate malpractices in the developed corporate sector. Some countries like Kenya, had created funds without charging interest to assist women and young people who wanted to enter the informal economy.
These funds were meant to empower women and youth entrepreneurs with skills and capital. Several difficulties encountered were that some beneficiaries failed to pay it back and this caused the assigned department not to budget for these funds. In such cases, a possible solution was the development of an effective policy for accountability. Parliamentarians should develop an integrated framework that includes the participation of government,
“As cannabis has gained acceptance as a very effective drug for many medical conditions, should Parliament legislate strict conditions under which it can be grown for export?”1 Recommendation Two: “Parliament may effectuate change in informal economy sector dynamic through legislative and policy measures to equip women-led entrepreneurship with socio- economic protection, enhancing limited bargaining power.”2 Recommendation Three: “Forge closer linkages between Parliament, civil society, and the private sector in order to facilitate the promotion of women entrepreneurship in an integrated approach.”3
All three recommendations from the Workshop were noted.
Endnotes
1. Given that such practice is illegal in many countries, the first recommendation was regarded as a “non-starter.” 2. To effect an amendment by replacing “women-led entrepreneur- ship” with “women participation in the economy.” 3. To effect an amendment by replacing “women entrepreneurship” with “women participation in the economy.”
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