The reproductive and occupational health of women street vendors in Johannesburg, South Africa

While the informal sector is rapidly emerging as the major source of employment in poor countries, little attention has been paid to the health hazards encountered by workers in this sector. Women, the majority of informal sector workers in most parts of the world, are particularly at risk. This paper reports on 422 women street vendors trading in 323 city blocks in Johannesburg, South Africa. The median age was 29 years, 66% were single, 29% had primary education and 58% had secondary schooling. Foreign-born women accounted for 15% of the sample and a further 59% of the women were not born in Johannesburg. More than a third of the women did not work for themselves and 48% earned