Gender roles and urban informal livelihood: analysis of their interrelationship with land use in Bhaktapur, Nepal | |
| Author | Bhatta, Anupa |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.UE-19-03 |
| Subject(s) | Gender mainstreaming--Nepal--Bhaktapur Land use--Developing countries--Nepal--Bhaktapur Sustainable urban development--Nepal--Bhaktapur |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master Science in Urban Environmental Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | In developing countries of South Asia, population involved in self-employment dominates fixed wage jobs in regards to the participation of non-agricultural employment. The research aims to understand the types of prevailing informal livelihood and ways their presence shape urban spaces. The impacts of informal livelihood on women in these sectors help find effective ways to support their participation in informal sector in sustainable and managed way. Thorough field observation and questionnaire survey revealed that informal livelihood in Bhaktapur follows traditional or non-traditional patterns in the meantime occupying core settlement or spaces of new development. Furthermore, in-depth interviews with women participating in informal livelihood revealed the benefits and opportunities of informal sector through qualitative analysis. Informal livelihood creates jobs for many, and majority of urban workers are attracted due to its low startup investment and mobility aspect. The aspect of leadership, independency and entrepreneurship attracts women who lack education to this sector and help in their empowerment while safeguarding familial responsibilities through flexibility and autonomy. Informal economy and its activities are often not recorded or well documented to be included in national policies so their exclusion results in negative impacts on informal livelihoods. After identifying drivers and challenges of informality, the inclusion of informal sector, management of the sector and acknowledgement in urban dialogues is recommended. These steps can lead to mainstreaming the informal economy in urban policies and strategies. |
| Year | 2019 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Urban Environmental and Management (UE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Kim, Sohee Minsun; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Vilas Nitivattananon;Doneys, Philippe; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2019 |