Social Policy & Administration

Right to the City: The Street Vendors Act of 2014 and the Collective Struggles of Women Vendors

Right to the City: The Street Vendors Act of 2014 and the Collective Struggles of Women Vendors
Image Source – Wikimedia Commons

The Street Vendors Act, 2014 fails to address the conditions created by urban and developmental planning, everyday forms of violence and harassment, and the gendered nature of public space entitlement, says the author.

Author

Reeju Ray, Associate Professor, Jindal School of Journalism and Communication, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.

Summary

This paper provides a historical analysis of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 and the subsequent amendment in 2016. It highlights the relationship between the struggles for the right to livelihood, urban spatial governance, and legislative intervention.

The legislation fails to address the conditions created by urban and developmental planning, everyday forms of violence and harassment, and the gendered nature of public space entitlement.

The paper foregrounds the voices of women street vendors in New Delhi. It critically examines the laws, policies, and activism and points to internal contradictions and limitations within each of these efforts to alleviate the condition and livelihood of street vendors.

Published in: Economic & Political Weekly

To read the full article, please click here.