Baladiyya ! De l'informalité à l'illégalité

Abstract

Baladiyya ! From informal to illegal : Wheelbarrows in SanaaDuring the 1990s, wheelbarrows used for portage and small-scale commerce, have appeared in great number in public spaces of Yemen’s important cities. How can this phenomenon be related to the economy and society of Yemen ? It is first of all an indicator for informal urban economic activities that are easily accessible and require little capital, and yet it does not seem only an activity of the poorest. Independence and mobility are the two factors put forward by owners of wheelbarrows to explain their success. The application of a new "public hygiene" law passed in 1999 progressively challenges these benefits, by changing what was up to then an informal use into an illegal use. Under the new law, wheelbarrows are required to be stationary or disappear from the cities.

Keywords

• économie informelle