<p>Selected COVID-19 policy documents for review.</p>

Despite playing a vital role in urban household food security, they were excluded from policy decisions, which were largely confined to technical experts and national government officials.</p> <p>Methods</p><p>Using the Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis (IBPA) framework, this study examined the engagement of women informal food vendors and the disparities in COVID-19 control policies.

Between July 10, 2024, and October 15, 2024, we conducted a qualitative study using key informant interviews (n = 20), in-depth interviews (n = 20), four focus group discussions (n = 40; 10 participants each), and a purposive review of four policy documents. Participants were recruited via purposive sampling in collaboration with Pamoja Community Based Organisation, and data were analyzed thematically guided by the IBPA principles.</p> <p>Results</p><p>The findings indicate that excluding women vendors from decision-making led to gender-insensitive policies that worsened existing inequalities by overlooking the vendors’ diverse social identities.