[ Engouement des femmes pour les activités informelles à Bunia: Un moteur de développement socio-économique ]
Serge KAMARA SHABA1, Heritier NGOMA2, and Blaise PACHU DJARIMBU3
1 Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Bunia, RD Congo
2 Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Bunia, RD Congo
3 Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Bunia, RD Congo
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This article examines the growing engagement of women in informal economic activities in the city of Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and highlights their contribution to local socio-economic development. Faced with unemployment, persistent poverty, and limited opportunities in the formal sector, many women turn to the informal economy as a survival strategy and a pathway to economic empowerment. The study aims to understand the motivations behind this trend, identify the main types of activities carried out, and analyze the challenges encountered by these women. The research adopts an inductive approach based on semi-structured interviews, direct field observation, and data analysis. The findings indicate that women’s involvement in the informal sector is driven by limited access to professional training, financial constraints, lack of banking guarantees, administrative and fiscal barriers, and the low recognition of women’s socio-economic status. Despite these constraints, informal activities represent a crucial source of household income and significantly contribute to local economic dynamism. The study therefore recommends the implementation of supportive public policies, including improved access to microcredit, targeted vocational training programs, and stronger institutional support to enhance women’s empowerment and entrepreneurial development.
Author Keywords: women, informal economy, empowerment, poverty, Bunia.
Serge KAMARA SHABA1, Heritier NGOMA2, and Blaise PACHU DJARIMBU3
1 Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Bunia, RD Congo
2 Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Bunia, RD Congo
3 Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Bunia, RD Congo
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
This article examines the growing engagement of women in informal economic activities in the city of Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and highlights their contribution to local socio-economic development. Faced with unemployment, persistent poverty, and limited opportunities in the formal sector, many women turn to the informal economy as a survival strategy and a pathway to economic empowerment. The study aims to understand the motivations behind this trend, identify the main types of activities carried out, and analyze the challenges encountered by these women. The research adopts an inductive approach based on semi-structured interviews, direct field observation, and data analysis. The findings indicate that women’s involvement in the informal sector is driven by limited access to professional training, financial constraints, lack of banking guarantees, administrative and fiscal barriers, and the low recognition of women’s socio-economic status. Despite these constraints, informal activities represent a crucial source of household income and significantly contribute to local economic dynamism. The study therefore recommends the implementation of supportive public policies, including improved access to microcredit, targeted vocational training programs, and stronger institutional support to enhance women’s empowerment and entrepreneurial development.
Author Keywords: women, informal economy, empowerment, poverty, Bunia.
Abstract: (french)
Cet article analyse l’engouement des femmes pour les activités informelles dans la ville de Bunia, en République Démocratique du Congo, et met en lumière leur contribution au développement socio-économique local. Face au chômage, à la pauvreté persistante et à l’insuffisance des opportunités dans le secteur formel, de nombreuses femmes se tournent vers l’économie informelle comme stratégie de survie et moyen d’autonomisation. L’étude vise à comprendre les motivations qui expliquent cette dynamique, à identifier les principales activités exercées et à analyser les défis auxquels ces femmes sont confrontées. La recherche adopte une approche inductive fondée sur des interviews semi-structurées, l’observation directe et l’analyse des données collectées sur le terrain. Les résultats montrent que l’engagement des femmes dans le secteur informel est motivé par le manque de formation adaptée, l’accès limité aux financements, l’absence de garanties bancaires, les tracasseries administratives et la faible valorisation du statut de la femme. Malgré ces contraintes, ces activités constituent une source essentielle de revenus pour les ménages et participent au dynamisme économique local. L’étude recommande ainsi la mise en place de politiques publiques favorisant l’accès au microcrédit, la formation professionnelle et un encadrement institutionnel adapté afin de renforcer l’autonomisation des femmes entrepreneures.
Author Keywords: engouement, femmes, activités informelles, ville de Bunia.
