The Impact of Social Background on Women’s Participation in Urban Street Vending: A Study Based on Colombo Fort

Abstract

Women’s participation in urban street vending is closely connected to their social and economic circumstances, particularly within the informal economy of developing urban settings. This study examines the impact of social background on women's participation in urban street vending, with particular reference to female street vendors operating along First Cross Street and Second Cross Street in Colombo Fort, Sri Lanka. The study employed a qualitative research approach and selected 25 female street vendors purposively. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field observations and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that women's entry into street vending is strongly influenced by family economic difficulties, household responsibilities, limited livelihood opportunities, and other aspects of their social background. The study further reveals that women experience gender-based disadvantages in accessing and maintaining favorable vending spaces, as male vendors often exercise greater control over valuable locations. Customer bargaining, harassment, institutional regulations, raids, and the insecurity of vending spaces also shape women's everyday working experiences. At the same time, women demonstrate agency through social networks, mutual support, customer trust, personal trading strategies, and the use of social media to sustain their livelihoods. The findings highlight that street vending is often not a freely chosen occupation but an important survival strategy shaped by structural and social constraints. The study recommends a more supportive and gender-sensitive approach to urban street vending through secure vending spaces, appropriate regulatory mechanisms, financial and welfare support, social protection, childcare facilities, and mechanisms addressing gender-based violence. However, the study is limited by its qualitative design, the small sample of 25 women, and its focus on only two streets in Colombo Fort, which limits the generalizability of the findings. The study contributes to understanding how social background and gender relations shape women's participation and everyday experiences within Sri Lanka's urban informal economy.

Keywords

• Urban Street Vending
• Women's Participation
• Informal Economy
• Social Background
• Gender And Livelihoods

How to cite

Salgamuwage Dinuka (2026) ‘The Impact of Social Background on Women’s Participation in Urban Street Vending: A Study Based on Colombo Fort’, Nile - Eurasian International Journal of Humanities, 1(2), pp. 27–40. https://doi.org/10.68283/neijh.v1.i2.a03