Gender Dimensions of Informal Cross Border Trade in West-African Sub-Region (ECOWAS) Borders

Yusuff, S. Olabisi

doi:10.18052/www.scipress.com/ILSHS.29.19

ILSHS > ILSHS Volume 29 > Gender Dimensions of Informal Cross Border Trade...

< Back to Volume

Gender Dimensions of Informal Cross Border Trade in West-African Sub-Region (ECOWAS) Borders

Full Text PDF

Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to examine the dynamics of women in cross border trade along ECOWAS sub region. West African region is noted significantly for high volume of trade that goes on within its borders on daily basis, and it involves formal and informal trade. Informal trade however, is an integral, but unrecognized component of ECOWAS economic activities. Over sixty percent of women are into informal trading across ECOWAS sub region, yet, there is gap in literature on the dynamics of these regional women traders across sub- ECOWAS region. Using qualitative method of data collection, a significant number of women traders in informal cross border in sub ECOWAS region were interviewed on their motivations, trade operations, challenges, and coping strategies. The findings reveal that there are several insecurities posed by informalities of women trading practices. These insecurities are associated with activities of law- enforcement agents and touts coupled with the facts that women traders are not knowledgeable about the procedures that guide international trade. Despite several challenges posed by informal cross border trade, women traders had devised coping strategies to negotiate these challenges. Majority of women utilized income generated to support themselves, their spouses and children and above all, it had enabled them to live above poverty level, which is one of millennium goals. The paper recommends that informal economic activities of women in cross border trade needs to recognized for holistic policy to be formulated and, women need vigorous education on the law that guide the rules and procedures of regional trade.

Info:

Periodical:

International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences (Volume 29)

Pages:

19-33

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/ILSHS.29.19

Citation:

S. O. Yusuff, "Gender Dimensions of Informal Cross Border Trade in West-African Sub-Region (ECOWAS) Borders", International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, Vol. 29, pp. 19-33, 2014

Online since:

June 2014

Authors:

S. Olabisi Yusuff

Keywords:

Cross Border, Dynamics, Informal, Sub-Ecowas Region, Women

Export:

RIS, BibTeX, Text

Distribution:

Open Access

This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

References:

Ackello-Ogutu, C. (1997). Unrecorded cross-border trade between Kenya and Uganda: Implications for food security., SD publication series, Office of Sustainable Development Bureau for Africa, USAID, Technical Paper 59, July.

Cagatay N., Ozler S., World Development 23(11) (1995) 1883-1894.

Carling T. (1992). Social Division. London. Verso.

Chichilinsky G. (2002). Globalization and Cross Border Exchange. Available at: www. Amalik. iijournals. com. Accessed March, (2012).

Coleman J. S. (1995). The Mathematics of Collective Actions.

Dejene V. (2001). Women"s Cross - Border Trade in West - Africa. Available at: www. Widetech. Org . Accessed February, (2012).

Desai M. (2009). Women Cross Border Traders Rethinking global trade. Available at: www. Pelgrave. journals. com , Accessed February, (2012).

Economic Commission for Africa, (2010). Gender and Intra Africa trade: The Case of west- Africa. Available at www. UNESCA . Org. Accessed March, (2012).

ECOWAS-WAEMU, (2006).

Fapounda T. M., British Journal of Arts and Social Sciences 4(1) (2012) 35-46.

Goldberg, P. K. Pavenik, N.L., J. Dev. Econ. 72 (2003) 463-496.

Green S. L. (2002). Rational Choice Theory: An Overview . A paper prepared for the Baylor University Faculty Development Seminar on Rational Choice Theory. Available At: www. business. baylor. edu/steve/green1. doc. Retrieved May, 1 (2014).

Ibeanu O. (2007). Beyond declarations: Law enforcement officials and ECOWAS protocols free movement of persons and goods in West Africa., CLEEN Foundation. Available at: www. Cleen. Org. Accessed March (2012).

IOM Southern Africa Newsletter, (2010). Informal Cross Border Trade. Eye Issue on migration Health. Available at: www. Iomzimbabwe. Org. Accessed March (2012).

Kabira W. M. (2006). Women and cross Border Trade in East Africa . Available at: www. library . fes. de. Accessed March, (2012).

Levin J., Milgrom P. (2004). Introduction to Rational Choice Theory. Available at: www. Standford. edu/Jdlevin/econ%2002/choice% 20Theory Pdf. Retrieved May 3, (2014).

Macy M., Flach A., Annual Review of Sociology 21 (1995) 73-92.

Mayoux S. (2001). Jobs, Gender and Small Enterprises: Getting the Policy Environment Right", ILO Working Paper on Series on Women, s Entrepreneurship Development and Gender in Enterprises- WEDGE, NO. 15.

Matsuyama R. (2011). Risky Business of informal cross border trade. Available at: www. Afronews. com. Accessed April, (2012).

Mijere N. J. (2006). Informal Cross border Trade in the South African development. Available at: www. Ossrea . com. Accessed April, (2012).

Morris G., Saul M. (2000). Women"s Business links; A preliminary Assessment of Women Cross border Traders. Available at: www. Pdf. usaid . gov. Accessed April, (2012).

Muzvidiziwa V. (1998). Cross Border Trade: A strategy for climbing out of Poverty. Available at: www. Digital . lib. msu. edu. Accessed April, (2012).

Njikam O., Tchouassi G., Academic Journals 6(5) (2011) 22-31.

Olutayo O., Ibadan Journal of the Social Sciences 3(2) (2005) 67.

Ritzer G. (2000). Sociological Theory. Fourth Edition. McGRAW Hill International Editions. Sociology Series.

Robinson S., Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship 6(2) (2003) 151-167.

Scott J. (2000). Rational Choice Theory. Halcli A. and Webster F. (eds) from understanding Contemporary Society: Theories of the Present. Sage Publications.

Shamu S. (2005). Gender and Entrepreneurship: Survival strategies of Tanzania-bound Zimbabwean Informal Women Cross Border Traders. Available at: http: /www. ossrea. net. Retrieved April, (2012).

Tsikata D. (2009). Informalization, the informal economy and urban women"s livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa since the 1990s. " in S. Razavi (ed. ), The Gendered Impacts of Liberation: Towards "Embedded Liberalism", Routledge, New York.

Ukonu O. F., Ehiabi T. A., An International Multi-Disciplinary Journal 5(3) (2011) 20.

UNIFEM, 2008. Unleashing the Potential of Women in Informal Cross Border Traders to Transform Intra-African Trade. Available at: www. UNIFEM. org. Accessed May, (2012).

M. N. Modebelu, F. K. Igwebuike, International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 4 (2014) 40-48.

Audu Andrew Jatau, International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 8(1) (2014) 18-27.

Benedicta Ehi Momodu, International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 13 (2014) 64-70.

Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu, International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 13 (2014) 89-94.

Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu, International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 14 (2014) 1-6.

Ramesh Pandita, International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 17(2) (2014) 128-149. ( Received 16 May 2014; accepted 23 May 2014 ).

Show More Hide

Cited By:

[1] N. Pirozzi, A. Litsegård, Interregionalism across the Atlantic Space, Vol. 15, p. 75, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62908-7_5

[2] W. Kachere, "Incomes Disparity along Gender Lines: The Plight of Women in the Informal Sector", Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Vol. 8, p. 193, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09766634.2017.1393889

[3] E. Kahiya, D. Kadirov, "Informal Cross Border Trade as a Substratum Marketing System: A Review and Conceptual Framework", Journal of Macromarketing, p. 027614671989711, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0276146719897115

[4] J. Salia, M. Sidat, S. Dias, M. Martins, I. Craveiro, "High Mobility and STIs/HIV among Women Informal Cross Border Traders in Southern Mozambique: Exploring Knowledge, Risk Perception, and Sexual Behaviors", International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 17, p. 4724, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134724

[5] T. Yeboah, L. Kandilige, A. Bisong, F. Garba, J. Kofi Teye, "The ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol and Diversity of Experiences of Different Categories of Migrants: A Qualitative Study", International Migration, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12766

[6] L. Pesando, "Educational Assortative Mating in Sub-Saharan Africa: Compositional Changes and Implications for Household Wealth Inequality", Demography, Vol. 58, p. 571, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1215/00703370-9000609

Show More Hide