A critical issue is who sets and changes the rules. Informal economy rules include customs, and verbal agreements enforced by social pressure, as opposed to the official laws and regulations of the formal economy. Conflict exists over who makes the decisions in the grey area between the household and the market. Social norms and laws tend to discrim-inate against rewarding or protecting women adequately in their work. Equal pay for comparable work is one example of such discrimination.
Framers take twice as long to make a basket than weavers, but receive more than double the pay.
To change this situation, both gender norms and the group's personnel policies need to be altered. It is a problem when development policies are designed for 'informal sector enterprises' as if the 'sector' were homogenous. Women's contribution to the economy needs to be recognised. Rules, norms, and laws that cause problems must be identified, and then work can begin with both men and women to change laws and policies, as well as ideas and beliefs about women's contribution to the economy. Thalia Kidder, Micro-economics Adviser, Oxfam in Central America and the Caribbean About Oxfam .