The Nordic Africa Institute

Publication

Street workers in African cities should be included – not evicted

Exemplebild
Date • 27 Apr 2020

Access by street vendors and other marginalised groups to public spaces seems to be on the decline in many African cities. Drawing from research in Abuja, Kampala and Maputo, a new policy note from NAI discusses how urban development can be improved to make street workers recognised and included instead of evicted and pushed out.

Cover of the policy note

"Narrow urban priorities that emphasise economic growth, competitiveness and urban aesthetics must give way to a genuine concern for (and consideration of) opportunities for marginalised groups and urban majorities. This means putting an end to strategies of spatial displacement, enclosure and criminalisation of street workers."

This is one of the conclusions by researchers Ilda Lindell and Onyanta Adama, authors of the policy note Visions of urban modernity and the shrinking of public space : Challenges for street work in African cities External link, opens in new window..

Infographics on the importance of the informal sector in African cities

Informal employment is the main source of employment in Africa, accounting for 86 per cent of all employment, or 72 per cent, excluding agriculture.