From the street to the store. The formalization of street vendors in Quito, Ecuador

Abstract
With the support of local and international organisations, the municipality of Quito, Ecuador, relocated approximately 6000 street vendors from the streets to eleven Popular Commercial Centres. The research examines the extent to which formalisation has al-tered their working and living conditions from the perspective of the decent work framework. Fieldwork was carried out in one of the commercial centres through surveys and interviews with the relocated vendors, representatives of their associations, and lo-cal government officials. The study found that it is not obvious that the working and living conditions will automatically improve with formalisation. While some aspects have improved (i.e. labour, employment, work and skills use and upgrading), others have worsened (i.e. jobs, income and representation).