Livelihood Coping Mechanisms of Women Engaged in the Informal Sector Amid Covid-19 in Adama City, Ethiopia
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Date
2021-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to examine livelihood coping mechanism of women engaged
in the informal sector amid COVID-19 Adama city. Cross-sectional survey and mixed research
approach has been used. Accordingly, 138 women engaged in the informal sector were identified
from three kebeles using multi-stage sampling technique. In doing so, quantitative data were
collected from women engaged in the informal sector using structured questionnaire and
qualitative data were collected using focus group discussion, key informant interview and
observation. It was found that all respondents have reported to have disproportionately impacted
by adverse impacts such as reduced income, quit self-employment, displaced or went/ traveled out
of city to seek support of their loved ones or search job, quite schooling, lost job/employment and
evacuated from the house they rented. Besides, migrant women engaged in the informal sector
were more impacted by the adverse impacts of the pandemic. The finding revealed that the women
engaged in the informal sector have very limited livelihood assets such as of human capital,
physical capital, financial capital. Whereas social capital was the most used livelihood asset amid
COVID-19. However, natural capital was missing. They have used a combination of two or more
livelihood coping mechanisms such as assistances from family or relatives, involved paid children
in labor, sold their assets, used their savings and borrowed cash, traveled in search of work or
assistance, pension and urban safety in order of importance. It was also found that significant
majority of the respondents did not receive assistances from formal institutions such as
government and non-governmental organizations amid COVID-19. To the contrary, the majority
have received assistances such as food, cash, paid work and psychosocial support from extended
family or relatives amid pandemic. Drawing on the results, the author recommended devising of
interventions mechanism customized to context of the informal sector and women such as social
security packages to be triggered amid shocks like COVID-19 such as in kind (food item) or cash
assistances or transfers by government. In addition, government should device or adopt policies
help to provide relief measures such as utility bill suspension in which the government pays utility
bills such as water and electricity for private house renters who gives relief house rent fee for in
the informal sector amid shocks. Besides, the government should device financial assistances and
micro financing tailored to women engaged in the informal sector so as to enable them engage in
small and micro business enterprises. Furthermore, the non-governmental organizations should
design feasible projects or programs that would help the women engaged in the informal sector
amid shock like COVID-19 and should also device mechanism to strongly monitor and evaluate
whether the selection of target beneficiaries are as per the criteria and support provided has
brought about the required change on the livelihood/living standard of project target group.
Moreover, the local government should have completed the record of or data base of women
engaged in the informal sector in all kebeles of the city. Above all, the local government should
conduct need assessment of women engaged in the informal sector in city and provide vocational,
life skill trainings like saving and provision of space for work etc. Lastly, the researchers should
conduct comprehensive study on informal sector in Adama city and in Ethiopia in general.
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Keywords
Asset, coping mechanism, Informal sector, livelihood, COVID-19 pandemic, Adama