Women, Work, and the Informal Economy in Uganda: What’s Holding Businesses Back?

Abstract

This report presents the findings of the research study on the barriers to business formalization and entrepreneurship gaps and challenges faced by women in informal business in Kampala, Wakiso, Mayuge, and Mbarara districts, Uganda. The study was conducted by the Council for Economic Empowerment for Women in Africa, Uganda in Chapter (CEEWA-U) and the Uganda Hotels Food, Tourism, Supermarkets and Allied Workers’ Union (HTS-Union), commissioned by Global Fairness Initiative (GFI). The study is being implemented by GFI under the Grassroots Center for Women in Work (GCWW) initiative in Uganda. The purpose of this research was to examine why informal business owners are not transitioning to the formal sector as well as to understand the entrepreneurial and capacity gaps faced by women-owned informal businesses.