Evidence brief: An intersectionality-based policy analysis of COVID-19 measures and women informal food vendors in Kisumu, Kenya

Abstract

Women working as informal food vendors in Kisumu faced precarious work conditions that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite playing a vital role in urban household food security, they were excluded from policy decisions, which were largely confined to technical experts and national government officials.

Using the Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis (IBPA) framework, this study examined the engagement of women informal food vendors and the disparities in COVID-19 control policies. Between July 10, 2024, and October 15, 2024, we conducted a qualitative study using key informant interviews (n = 20), in-depth interviews (n = 20), four focus group discussions (n = 40; 10 participants each), and a purposive review of four policy documents. Participants were recruited via purposive sampling in collaboration with Pamoja Community Based Organisation, and data were analyzed thematically guided by the IBPA principles.

The findings indicate that excluding women vendors from decision-making led to gender-insensitive policies that worsened existing inequalities by overlooking the vendors’ diverse social identities. Furthermore, inconsistent policy implementation increased gender-based vulnerabilities, leaving these women exposed to harassment, extortion, and physical assault.

To prepare for future emergencies, governments must establish inclusive, gender-responsive policy frameworks that prioritize the perspectives of informal food vendors, thereby safeguarding sustainable urban food systems. Specifically, municipal, county, and national authorities should create consultative mechanisms to ensure women informal food vendors actively participate in decision-making processes. Such integration will foster gender-sensitive policy development and keep vendors’ lived experiences central to urban food governance. Ultimately, this research demonstrates the value of applying an intersectional policy analysis framework to health research, advancing equity and social justice by strengthening the participation of marginalized groups in emergency response and regulatory planning.

Introduction

In early 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, prompting urgent and comprehensive public health interventions [1]. Governments worldwide responded with mandatory containment measures, such as lockdowns and curfews [2], alongside safety protocols—including mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and physical distancing—to mitigate viral transmission [3]. These control measures, combined with the pandemic’s broader impact on global trade, severely disrupted both formal and informal economies [4–6]. Within the informal sector, these policies produced disparate social and economic outcomes for men and women [7], thereby exposing and exacerbating existing socioeconomic and cultural inequalities, particularly in urban centers [8–13].

In cities of the Global South, women disproportionately shouldered the burdens of the pandemic and its associated control measures. Women food vendors, in particular, faced systemic challenges—including reduced market hours, restricted movement, disrupted food supply chains, and increased household and caregiving responsibilities—which resulted in significant income loss and heightened food insecurity [11,14–16]. The impact was especially severe for women-led informal food businesses that rely on direct social interaction and close physical proximity with clientele—operational necessities that were severely curtailed by pandemic protocols [9]. Ultimately, these measures exacerbated existing inequalities because policy frameworks failed to account for the specific socio-cultural and economic realities of these women [10,13].