Street vendors and global urban economy

Perhaps the most visible difference between urban landscapes in the developing world as compared to developed countries in the presence of street vendors. Constituting a sizeable chunk of the urban informal economy/ workforce, street vendors on the move or permanently parked on a pavement have been variously viewed by different strata of urban populations as a boon and a bane. This volume brings together studies from different parts of the developing world, highlighting the shared plight of street vendors as they try and ply their wares in what is often a hostile environment. Hawkers and street vendors are looked upon as illegal encroachers on public space, more popularly understood as the taxpayers space, in cities increasingly appropriated by the middle upper classes. The lack of tutorial rights, poor access to resources, a virtually non existent legal framework, the lack of organization/unionization and collective bargaining has led to mounting insecurity for street vendors. Curiously enough, what is quickly forgotten in the process are the services these vendors render, especially to the poorer sections of urban populations, whose existence they subsidise by providing cheap food, clothes and other items of daily need. An integral part of urban economies, this volume argues that street vendors contribute greatly to the quality of life, plying their trade with pride while operating under difficult circumstances. A comprehensive study, this volume will clarify some of the myths and misconceptions associated with street vending (Source: Back page of the book)