Prioritizing health and productivity to support urban and informal women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT Urban women entrepreneurs (WEs) in the informal sector play a largely overlooked role in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). WEs also leverage collective action strategies to support each other. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely hampered the activities of WEs in the urban informal sector. The detrimental health and economic implications of sidelining urban WEs in Sub-Saharan Africa can be avoided by bridging the gap between the needs of urban WEs in the informal sector and the policies developed. This paper outlines strategies to fully integrate the experiences of urban WEs into state interventions to improve their wellbeing and economic productivity.