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This qualitative research sought to explore sustainable livelihoods for the international female migrant youth in South Africa by using a narrative theory. South Africa has a number of the international female migrant youth coming from countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) who migrated to the country for better standards of living and sustainable livelihoods. Studies reveal that during their quest to seek a better life, female migrants face various challenges which impede their successful adaptation in South African communities. There are no studies specifically conducted in Musina to allow female migrant youth to narrate strategies for their sustainable livelihoods given the challenges they face. Thus, nine female refugees in a selected church in Musina were conveniently and purposefully selected as a case study to pursue the aim of the current research. Data was collected through semi-structured face to face interviews and were analysed thematically with the assistance of the Nvivo software. Findings reveal that female migrants find it difficult to secure jobs in South Africa because of their undocumented status. For their sustainable livelihoods, female migrant youth employ different strategies to mitigate hunger and unemployment which include street vending, setting up hair salons and doing menial jobs such as cleaning, washing for South African households. The study has also found that female migrant youth have an entrepreneurial mind as they have established certain strategies to survive under extreme hardships. It can thus be concluded from this study that female migrant youth in South Africa are faced with unpleasant challenges upon their arrival leading them to making tough decisions on how they are going to survive, hence their involvement in the informal sector. Skills based programmes to empower immigrants should be established in order to assist those who cannot find employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature review states that the basis of employment relations as a field of study is to investigate the nature of the relationship between employer and employee. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate employment relations in the informal sector by using a framework introduced by Goss (1991) to interpreting employment relations in small firms that can be understood with regard to two related dimensions: First, the extent to which employers is dependent on his or her employees, and vice versa; and second, the extent to which employees have the capacity individually or collectivity, to challenge the power of their employer. Based on these two dimensions, four distinct categories have been identified that reveal the complexity and diversity the nature of employment relationships in the informal sector, namely is 'fraternalism', 'paternalism', 'benevolent autocracy' and 'passive acquiescence' The study employ qualitative approach and in-depth interviews with four employers and four workers in the informal sector in Lawas, Sarawak. The findings show that the nature of the employment relations in the informal sector is 'benevolent autocracy' or employers are less dependent on their employees, resulting in limited labour capacity to challenge the employer's power. Characteristics of the informal and unregistered informal sector which result in lack of protection to workers are the main reason for the employment relations in the informal sector. This study also contributes to the redefinition of the term of employment relations in the informal sector and then suggest for policy reforms in the context of the informal sector, particularly in protecting the rights of workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the world economy created its own footprint as a result of the phenomenon. 1/3 of that space is owned by the informal economy also referred to as the Local Economy or System D. The connotation is to imagine a work phenomenon that is truly universal without a clear basis for labor. This increasingly sophisticated and world-class phenomenon takes the place of economic space left by the formal economy. The manipulation of the vast resources, the dynamic practices that take place in the legal and illegal dimensions, provide a guarantee of employment shadowed by survival. This paper traces the phenomenon occurring on the Sebatik Islands of Malaysia and Indonesia. The study method was qualitative based on the interviews of key informants. The results suggest that this phenomenon occurs due to the fact that economic space and opportunities can be exploited for the sake of sustainability in meeting economic demands, especially marginalized groups at the border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]