June 5, 2025 – This blog was written with partners at WIEGO and published on childcare4all.org. It explores their work to provide childcare in market settings in Africa.
The informal economy is a cornerstone of the African labor market, employing most of the workforce across the region. In sub-Saharan Africa, labor force participation stands at 67 percent, with 90 percent of employed women engaged in informal work. A recent brief, Street Vendors and Market Traders in 12 Countries: A Statistical Profile, developed by Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), shows that these workers constitute a significant share of total employment in many African countries—more so than in other regions. For example, they account for up to 24 percent of total employment in Senegal and as high as 52 percent in Dakar. In six of the 12 countries studied, women compose most market traders. Among street vendors, women dominate in nine countries. Ghana stands out, with women making up 83 percent of market traders and street vendors. This is why workplace childcare provision to support street vendors and market traders is an essential strategy for the region as it would reach many women workers, particularly in dense urban areas.