WIEGO GENERAL ASSEMBLY and INCLUSIVE CITIES EVENT

WIEGO GENERAL ASSEMBLY and INCLUSIVE CITIES EVENT

Oleh: Daniel S. Stephanus

Belo Horizonte – Brazil, 19 – 23 April 2010

BACKGROUND

History of WIEGO General Assemblies

Since it was founded in 1997, WIEGO has held four general meetings, in:

1.       Ottawa, Canada (April 199),

2.       Cambridge, USA (May 2000),

3.       Ahmedabad, India (January 2002), and

4.       Durban, South Africa (April 2006).

The common purpose of all WIEGO (Women Informal Employment: Organizing and Organizing) general meetings has been to share experiences and knowledge, set priorities and frame issues, and review WIEGO’s past activities and future plans. Another purpose has been to expand and strengthen the WIEGO Network.

The general meeting in Durban, held in April 2006, had an additional special purpose: namely, to launch the new governance structure of WIEGO as mandated in the new WIEGO Constitution ratified in October 2005.  As such, it was a landmark event for the WIEGO network and marked the General Assembly of WIEGO Members, both Institutional and Individual.

Public events

In Conjunction with each general meeting, WIEGO has co-organized a public event with local partners:

Ottawa, April 1999

We co-organized a policy dialogue on the informal economy with the International Centre for Development Research (IDRC).   

Cambridge, May 2000

We organized a research conference on the informal economy with the Radcliffe Public Policy Center and a dialogue on organizing in the informal economy with the Urban Studies and Planning Department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ahmedabad, January 2002

We participated in the first day of the annual general meeting of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA).

Durban, April 2006

We co-organized an urban policy colloquium called “World Class Cities’ and the Urban Informal Economy: Inclusive Planning for the Working Poor” with StreetNet International and the School of Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu Natal.

TIME, PLACE, and ORGANIZER

Belo Horizonte, Brazil: 20—23 April, 2010

WIEGO is holding its first meeting in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.  This is the first general meeting since WIEGO was registered as a not-for-profit company in the UK.

At this General Assembly, WIEGO members will be asked to:

 ·         Elect representative to the new board and the Nominating Committee;

·         Approve the Articles of Association in UK that reflect both the principles of the original constitution and the requirements of being a charity in the UK; and

·         Approve WIEGO’s plans and financial report.

The general assembly will also feature presentations by the various network or associations of informal workers:

·         Associations of waste pickers.

·         HomeNets.

·         International Domestic Workers Network.

·         StreetNet

The central theme of the Assembly and of theses presentations is the role of women leaders in membership-based organizations of informal workers.

The public event in Belo Horizonte called “Inclusive Cities for the Working Poor” will be co-sponsored by the Federal University of Minas Gerais and feature presentations on innovative approaches to inclusive planning from Brazil and several countries from around the world.

The participation of women leaders in the 2010 General Assembly is funded in part by the MDG3 Fund established by the Government of the Netherlands, as part of a larger WIEGO project.

ACITIVIES

Monday, April 19

1.       Arrivals and Check-in

2.       Set Up of Exhibitions

3.       Field Visits

4.       Welcome Dinner

Tuesday, April 20

General Assembly Day 1

1.       Welcome Introductions (Renana Jhabvala – Chair of WIEGO Board)

2.       General Assembly Purpose (Marthy Chen – International Coordinator of WIEGO)

3.       General Assembly Porgam (Sonia Diaz – Waste Pickers Specialist of WIEGO and Carmen Roca – Regional Advisor Latin America of WIEGO).

Visit to Exhibitions Booths

1.       StreetNet (Pat Horn – StreetNet International Coordinator; Rakesh Tripathy - National Alliance of the Street Vendors of India (NASVI)).

2.       Waste Pickers Association (Lucia fernandez – Latin America Waste Pickers Association (MNCR); Neha Kagal – Kagad, Kach, Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) India).

3.       Panel     Discussion with StreetNet and Waste Pickers – Moderated by Chris Bonner.

4.       Homenets (Sapna Joshi – HN South Asia; Rosalinda Ofreneo – HN South East Asia; Daniel S. Stephanus – HN Iidonesia)

5.       Domestic Workers (Myrtle Witbooi and Ip Pui Yu – International Domestic Workers Network (IDWN)).

6.       Panel Discussion with HomeNets and Domestic Workers – Moderated by Dan Gallin

Wednesday, April 21

1.       WIEGO Gonernance: Presentation and Approvals of Articles of Association; Financial Reports; Work Plans – Moderated by Renana Jhabvala.

2.       Parallel Constituency Meetings: Institutional and Individual Members Discussion of Issues Facing Members and WIEGO Support and Election of Constituency Representative to WIEGO Board and Nominating Committee.

3.       Election Results and Constituency Discussions: Report Back and Implications for the Futures Plans – Moderated By William Steel.

4.       Keynote Speakers: Ella Bhatt (Founder of SEWA and Former Chair of WIEGO) – Future of the Informal Workforce and of WIEGO.

Thursday, April 22

1.       Public Event: “Inclusive Cities for the Working Poor” at the Federal University of Minas Gerais.

Friday, April 23

1.       Fund Raising Workshop

2.       Closing Remarks: Marty Chen (International Coordinator of WIEGO).

MATERIAL

WOMEN INFORMAL EMPLOYMENT: GLOBALIZING and ORGANIZING (WIEGO):

What, Who, Why, and Where

WHAT IS WIEGO?

WIEGO is the global action-research-policy network that seeks to improve the status of the working poor, especially women, in the informal economy.

Global Virtual Network (as end 2009):

-          Members from 28 countries,

-          Board Directors from 8 countries,

-          Staff in 8 countries,

-          Activities and partners in 35 countries.

Membership from 3 constituencies:

-          Members-Based Organization of informal workers,

-          Researchers and Statisticians working in the informal economy,

-          Development Practitioners working on the informal economy. 

WHO IS WIEGO CONCERNED ABOUT?

The Working Poor in the Informal Economy include those who work:

1.       Street Vendors on the Open Space:

-          Street Vendors

-          Push-cart Vendors

-          Waste Pickers

-          Roadside Barbers

-          Constructions Workers

2.       In Fields, Pastures, and Forest:

-          Small farmers

-          Agricultural labours

-          Shepherds

-          Forest gatherers

-          Fisher folk

3.       In Small Shops and Workshops:

-          Scrap metal recycles

-          Shoe makers

-          Wavers

-          Garment makers and embroiderers

-          Paper-bag makers

4.       At Home:

-          Garment makers

-          Embroiderers

-          Shoemakers

-          Artisans of craft producers

-          Assemblers of electronic part

 WHY IS WIEGO CONCERNED?

Scale of Informal Economy

·         The informal economy in large by whatever measure is used:

-          Share of total employment: 60—90% of total employment in developing countries.

-          Share of GDP: 25—50% of non-agricultural GDP in developing countries.

·         The informal economy is growing in terms of:

-          Share of total employment.

-          Share of new job

Informality and Poverty

·         Most of the world’s poor – especially in developing countries – are working.

·         There are some 500 million working poor earning less than USD1 per day.

·         These working poor are not able to work their way out of poverty.

·         This is because the vast majority of the working poor – those who warn less than USD1 per day – earn their living in the informal economy where:

-          Average earnings are low.

-          Risk is high.

·         Poverty reduction is not possible without:

-          Increasing the assets and earnings of informal workers.

-          Reducing the risks of informal workers.

WIEGO MISSION and VISION

Mission:

WIEGO believes that all workers should have equal economic opportunities and rights and be able to determine the conditions of their work and lives.  WIEGO works to improve the status of the working poor, especially women, in the informal economy through:

·         Increase organization and representation;

·         Improve statistics and research;

·         More inclusive policy process; and

·         More equitable trade, labour, urban planning, and social protection policies.

Vision:

WIEGO need to increase the Voice, Visibility, and Validity of the working poor, especially women, in the informal economy.

·         Voice: in mainstream organization + decision making.

·         Visibility: in economic statistic + economic policies.

·         Validity: in workers and economic agents who contribute to the economy and society + as legitimate beneficiaries of economic and social policies.

WIEGO PROGRAMMES AND ACITIVIES

·         5 Core Programmes

-          Organization and representation;

-          Statistics;

-          Urban policies;

-          Social protection; and

-          Global trade.

·         2 Global Projects

-          Inclusive Cities for the Urban Working Poor;

-          Women’s Economic Empowerment.

·         Special Initiatives

-          Exposure Dialogue Programme with SEWA & Cornell University;

-          Commissioned Research;

-          Policy Dialogues; and

-          Strategic Alliances.

WIEGO ACTIVITIES: WHAT DO WE DO?

1.       Help build capacity of trade unions, cooperatives, and association of informal workers;

2.       Help build and strengthen sector-specific networks od such organization;

3.       Improve statistics and do research on the informal economy;

4.       Provide technical advice on issues to the informal economy;

5.       Frame issues and do policy analysis on the informal economy; and

6.       Convene policy dialogues on the informal economy.

WHERE IS WIEGO ?

See www.wiego.org

FIELD VISITS: BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON SITES

SITE VISITS:

1.       The Environmental Recovery and Recycling of Civil Construction Wastes Programme in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

By law management of construction and demolition waste in the City of Belo Horizonte is the generator's responsibility.  However, due to environmental problems caused by illegal dumping of debris the municipality of Belo Horizonte through its Public Cleansing Agency (SLU) decided to implement, in 1997, the Environmental and Recycling of Civil Construction Wastes Programme in an effort to combine promoting income generation and preservation of urban environment.

A special feature of the Programme is the integration of informal collectors of constructions and demolition waste called carroceiros.  These informal collectors use horse-drawn carts to transport the collected construction debris.  Formerly, most of the construction waste collected would be disposed off in illegal dump sites, attracting additional illegal dumping of ordinary domestic waste and causing negative environmental impacts.  In 1994, a municipal survey identified 134 of these illegal dump sites.  From the outset of the programs, the Municipality has provided awareness raising training to these 400 carroceiros on the negative impact of their activities, has organized and registered them.  Now citizens have access to this municipal registry and call upon their services for the removal of construction waste, tree pruning remains or even old furniture.  Households pay directly to the carroceiros a fee per trip (USD8—12) to transport this special waste to the designated reception units.

The programme has three components:

a)      The Social Component

Involving support and/or organization of cooperatives of informal debris collectors; legal and authorized provision of 29URPV decentralized reception units for small quantities of debris (and tree pruning waste and others).  No domestic waste is accepted by the carroceiros and at the URPV’s

b)      The Technical Component

Implementation of three civil construction recycling units that receive the construction waste from the decentralized reception units and also from the public sector construction activities as well as large private constructions that have separation at the source programs at the constructions and demolition sites. In 2008, the three units together received and processed 132.932 tons of constructions debris attributing to 15% processed of this waste stream and 6.5% of all processed waste.  The remaining construction waste goes to the sanitary landfill operated by the municipality of Belo Horizonte.  The three pruning waste is transported to the small composting facility (capacity of 20 tons/day) at the municipal waste treatment center where it is co-processed using a window composting technology with organic waste collected from supermarkets and open vegetable markets.  The entire process is closely monitored and the quality control allows for a final product apt for agricultural use.  In 2008, 2300 tons were processed, 1400 tons from markets etc, and 900 tons from tree trimmings.  The nearly 900 tons of compost produced last year were used in the landscaping project of the landfill; and absorbed by the municipal nursery and public gardens.

c)       The Veterinary Component  

Through the partnership with the Veterinary school of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, the carroceiros receive animal health care assistance for their horses (vaccination and medical care).  In addition the horses are registered and brand marked.  In order to improve the traction and drawing qualities of the horses, the University has also developed genetic improvements of the different horse breeds.

 City’s Selective Waste Collection Programme – Social Inclusion

Since the adoption of integrated solid waste management model in 1993, the recovery of recyclables has formed a permanent pillar of the waste management system in Belo Horizonte.  Recyclable non-organic materials (primary paper, plastic, glass, and metals) are collected through three channels described below:

a)      Kerbside Collection System of Recyclables by SLU

The SLU started this system in 2003.  The system has increased its target population from 80,000 persons in 2003 to 148,000 persons in 2008, when 3,900 tons of recyclables were collected either directly by SLU or third parties contracted by SLU.  Initial focus was on Central and South sectors of the city where presence of recyclables was higher, according to the SLU waste characterization and generation studies carried out in 1985, 1991, 1995, and 2003.  The collected materials are further processed, after which they are sold to industry.

b)      A Drop-off System

The system consists of 150 delivery sites distribution throughout the city – locally known as Local de Entrega Voluntaria (LEV) – where the population can deposit recyclables on a voluntary basis in dedicated containers for plastic, paper, metals, and glass.  A total of 450 containers are emptied weekly by the SLU staff and the materials are transported to the same warehouse for further handling.  Since the introduction of the system in 1993, 60—140 tons are collected in this way per month.  The 1,300 tons collected through this system in 2008 represented 13% of all collected recyclables.  One down-side of the system has been the high level of depredation of the recycling containers mainly by non-organized waste pickers searching for recyclables.  

c)       Door to Door Collection of Recyclables by Cooperatives from Non-Residential Generators

Cooperatives of waste pickers collect recyclables materials from commercial establishment and offices, especially in the down town Belo Horizonte, using push-carts.  In addition, recyclables are collected from larger generators such as industries and public offices using vehicles owned by the cooperatives.  In both cases, the collected material is taken to warehouse for further handling. In 2008, 5,100 tons were collected through the cooperatives, 52% of all collected recyclables.

Collected recyclable waste materials are brought to the warehouse of the eight waste pickers’ cooperatives, where the materials are sorted, baled, shredded, packaged, and stored.  Materials are sold to Industry in Belo Horizonte or within the State of Minas Gerais.  All cooperatives have scales, personal protection equipment, and big bags.  Some have shredders and fork lift trucks.  Revenues from sales are split amongst associates.  This could be described as the official integrated recycling system involving a combination of formal and semi-formal sector (coops).  Not all waste pickers belong to cooperatives and they collect recyclables in areas that are not served by the authorized cooperatives, but they also work in ‘their’ areas and compete with them.

The plans to divert recyclables from disposal started in 1993 and have consolidated since.  The SLU data show that amounts of collected recyclables have increased, with almost 10,000 tons diverted from disposal in 2008.  In relative terms, however, only 3% recyclables have been recovered, representing less than 1% of all municipal waste collected.  This implies that there is a lot of room for expansion of activities.  The figure below shows cooperatives integrated in the municipal recycling scheme vis a vis support received from municipality.   

Sites to be visited:

a.       Pampulha Recycling Plant and nearby URPV (Unit for Receptions Small Quantities for informal debris collector)

Unit for Reception of Small quantities (for 42 informal debris collectors).  For more information: Delano Pereira (slu@pbh.gov.br).

b.      ASMARE’s Recycling Warehouse and Headquarters

Founded in 1990 ASMARE constitutes a managerial and administrative organization consisted of associates that pursue a self-supporting business in the recycling field.  The associations is organized in committees as follows: infrastructure, health, religion, social communication, finances, environment and education/culture/entertainment.  The Streering Committee is formed by a representative of each one of the 7 committees. Though legally registered as an association ASMARE functions internally as a cooperative.

ASMARE’s headquarters situated downtown receives waste materials from individual collector (catadores) who are members of the association.  ASMARE associates have distinctive yellow carts for collection of recyclables and each associate has her/his own space for sorting at the depot.  The sorted materials are compressed and weighed.  ASMARE has its own compressing machines and bulk weighing scale in a compressing and weighing center managed by catadores and former street-dwellers.  The weight of materials per person is recorded and receipt is issued, and ultimately each person is paid according to the recyclable materials produced from waste collected by them.

ASMARE is involved in a lot of projects and has other facilities like cultural bars; paper workshop etc.  For more information: Luiz Henrique (luizasmare@yahoo.com.br) (waste pickers leader) and Flavia (Flaviaasmare@gmail.com).    

c.       COMARP’s Recycling Warehouse

COMARP was formed by 10 people, mainly women, in 2003 following the capacity building activity develop by the municipality to boost social enterprises in the Palpulha region of Belo Horizonte.  The group decided to form a cooperative and engage in the recycling business.  In its beginning the group engaged in collection of recyclables and in the making of brooms out of PET bottles as a way to generate income but now are they have concentrated activities on sorting recyclables. Since its beginning the group received support from the municipality which provided an area for its first sorting facility.

COMARP has 35 associates being 29 of them women.  They belong to UNISOL as confederation of cooperatives linked to CUT (national confederation of workers).  COMARP together with 3 other local cooperatives have formed REDESOL -  a network of waste pickers cooperatives for bulk commercialization of recyclables.

For more information: Iva Neide (Waste pickers leader) commarpampulha@yahoo.com.br.     

d.      CATAUNIDOS’s Plastic Recycling Plant

The cataunidos congregates ASMARE from Belo Horizonte and 8 waste pickers’ organization from cities within Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte: Betim, Brumadinho, Contagem, Ibirite, Itauna, Nova Lima, and Para de Minas involving around 500 waste pickers in total.  The recycling plant produces pellets out plastic.

The recycling plant started operation in 2007 and resources for its implementation came from different sources such as the Fundacao Banco do Brazil, Petrobras, and Inter American Foundation with the donation of an area for construction of the recycling plant.  A law-biding term was signed, in 2003, between the municipality and the ASMARE for the donation of an area for the construction of a plant for plastic recycling (production of pellets). Although the municipality backed the recycling plant its ownership is ‘Cataunidos’.  Its implementation results from the vision and the leadership role of ASMARE and its social advisors – Pastoral de Rua and INSEA.

Operators of the plant are hired in the local community by the Cataunidos.  Three waste pickers are the managers of the plant.  There is a committee with representatives of the 9 waste pickers' group which oversee the management of the plant.

For more information see www.cataunidos.org.br and Madalena Duarte (waste pickers leader) madalenaduarte47@gmail.com.  

2.       Popular Shops

Popular shops were created in the city after Decree 11.424 (22/08/203) within the “Centro Vivo” project – an urban renew intervention in the city center which includes amongst other things restoration of historical buildings, public works, capacity building programmes for workers in the downtown area, child care facilities etc.

Prior 2003, street vendors worked in improvised stalls laid out of the pavements and most of them had no legal permit to work. That led to constant conflicts amongst the city official and the vendors and great discontent by the population.  Many interventions to regulate street vending had been tried in the past with no success.

The first popular shop was Oiapoque Shop in 2003 and the last one was implemented in 2007 amounting to more than 2,000 street vendors allocated in these shop areas.  The key to the programme directed to street vendors was to reallocate them not to the periphery but to facilities within the city center – so shops were built in the central area.  Though the process was not devoid of conflict, this allocation in the city center reduced resistance from the street vendors towards the concept of working in a closed space.  There are 5 popular shops to date: Oipoque, Tupinambas, Xavantes Caetes, and Tocantins.

Each Popular shop is managed by a management committee composed of three non-paid members: a representative from municipality; a representative of the landlord (from which the building is rented) and an elected representative of the vendors.  The municipality created a specific department to supervise the operation of the popular shop areas and handle all related issues to this approach.   

Oiapaque Shop

This popular sjop is situated a Avenida Oipaque, 176 and is also known as “Shopping Oi” by the population.  It was created in August, 2003 (600 street vendorswere transferred). It specializes in selling clothes, electronic equipment, CDs, toys etc.  This shop is divided in sectors distributed in various corridors identified by colours.  Some sectors are specious others not so.  There are public lavatories and eating areas.  This shop is widely used by low-income and middle class customers.

Area: 8.000m2; Numbers of stands: 400; working hours: 8:00—18:00 (Monday till Friday) and 8:00—17:00 (Saturday) and 8:00—14:00 (Sunday).  Contact person: Welton Malta (Welton@pbh.gov.br). 

OPENING

General Assembly Puspose and Program

Sonia Diaz (waste Pickers Specialist of WIEGO), and Carmen Roca (Regional Advisor Latin America of WIEGO)

General Assembly Purpose

Renana Jhabvala (Chair of WIEGO) and Marty Chen (International Coordinator of WIEGO),

2010 General Assembly is the 5^th Assembly and 1^st Assembly after registered, 22 countries invited. The GA will be held every 4 years, to set up the direction for the next 4 years.

The GA purpose is “Support the Informal Workers”.

The awareness of the researchers to push the policy makers (United Nations and Government) to look after the informal workers.

The story of WIEDO GA

1^st GA: 1999, Ottawa - Canada: The public policy on Informal Employment.

2^nd GA: 2000, MIT – USA: Urban Study & planning.

3^rd GA: 2002, Ahmedabad – India: Public Policy Dialogue.

4^th GA: 2006, Durban – South Africa: StreetNet and Public Policy Event.

5^th GA: 2010, Belo Horizonte – Brazil: Inclusive City for All.

WIEGO registered at Manchester - United Kingdom, 2007.    

EXHIBITIONS

Waste Pickers Organization

Global Waste Pickers Movement

Moving up in the value chain

 

                               

                               

                                               

                                                                Social                                     Economical

                                                                

Inclusive in solid                                                                                                                                               Protecting the

Waste management                                                                                                                                       climate through

                                                                                                                                                                                recycles

                                                                                                 Environmental

WIEGO

Global Waste Pickers

 

Coordinator

 

Asia                                        Africa                                    Latin America

 

                                       India                                    South Africa                                  Brazil    

                                     (KKPKP)                              (SAN & AIW)                                  (MNCR)

“Waste pickers as the profession for a sustainable development”

Example 1: National Movement at Brazil

Activities: Capacity building; strengthening; organizing.

Negotiate with: municipal and national government; industrial alliance for inclusive policies.

Threats: waste to energy (WTE) plants and tendering contracts to private players.

Example 2: India (KKPKP and Indian Alliance, supported by SEWA)

Threats:

- The price decrease;

- Closing the dump site project and produce the methane gas (Waste to Energy);

- Door to doors collection giving to the private company (membership by Bank Guarantee).

Example 3: South Africa

Informal organization (community) of Waste Pickers.

To organized and become national network by cooperative and union.

 

StreetNet International

Majority at Africa (Southern and Eastern, Asia and Latin America).

Office: Durban – South Africa.

MBO’s but the members are the street vendors organization.

·         Inclusive cities include the Street Vendors (SV).  Inclusive cities allow SV to operate alongside small kiosks, shops, large retail stores, and malls.

·         World class cities for all.  Nothing for us without us! No relocation without alternatives! Negotiation and social dialogue.

·         Campaignings:

o   World class cities for all: South Africa FIFA World cup 2010, India Commonwealth Games 2010; Brazil FIFA World Cup 2014.

o   Street Vendors manifesto: All street net affiliates 2011—2013.

o   Litigation

o   Media and publicity.

·         Alliances Buildings:

o   Trade unions movements

o   Social movements

o   Human right organization (national and international)

·         SV Workers Education

o   Organizing manual

o   Organizing training members for informal economy

o   Working with workers education institutions to build capacity to do workers education in informal economy

o   Research: Urban CV census, study on statutory representation between SV and local government.

·         Strengthening affiliates:

o   Leadership training

o   Regional workshop and focal point coordination

o   Country activities including

§  Forming national alliances

§  Collective negotiation with authorities

§  Organizational support and capacity building

o   Exchange visits between countries

Panel 1

The highlight of network and networking

Waste pickers: climate change policy by doing recycling not only talking.

Street vendors: negotiating with local government to pay attention to the SV.

SV at Mexico

-          Negotiation to government about against the piracy policy.

-          Improving the product quality of SV and protect from the piracy product.

-          Building the link with WP, against the discrimination.

The legal success in SV:

-          It’s take many years;

-          The implementation still on the problems, the government not loyal to the policy.

To SV and WP: How to manage and organize so many people.

The implementation of public policy is difficult.  The governance of the government is bad.

Dissemination by many media depends on the community characteristic.  Participating makes different.

Do negotiating training to the members.  Do negotiation by the members itself.

Do communication by the internet and facebook among the SV.  Example: Youtube movie about their meeting makes huge impact.

Do organizing WP by ID Card.  Protect them from police harassments and to open the bank account.

Challenges:

National movement of SV on Latin America (16 countries)

Do strengthening the networking among the countries and among the continental.

-          Strengthening the national and local movement of SV.

-          Support and help among the countries movement.

-          Against the global market through global movement of SV.

-          Promotional material local, national, and international against the globalization.

-          Building the leadership.

-          Minimize self-interest and sectoral interest.

-          Identify: businessman/woman or workers.

-          Against the privatization of street vending.  Difficult to access the market.  Upgrade the competitiveness of SV.

WP: Need MoU and agreement of WP group and the government.

Urban policy: commercialization of urban area. Need hard lobby to change the urban policy.

Note: Working together with the environmental movement is important and make the WP movement stronger.

The WIEGO do:

-          Research and data;

-          Initiative to take action for informal workers.

-          Influencing the international policy maker.

-          Link and working together with donation agency and research agency.

-          Financial support for the movement (especially for global movement).

SV is not networking organization but the alliances among the SV country movement.

Notes:

-          Organizing is not easy.

-          Legal strategies are needed.

-          Global movement is natural.

  

Home-Based Workers (HomeNet International)

HomeNet South Asia

Background:

Homenet South Asia registered as Charitable Trust – Network of homebased workers in Mauritius with its coordinating office in Ahmedabad – India.

Has promoted and supported five homenets (HN Bangladesh, HN India, HN Nepal, HN Pakistan, HN Sri Lanka).

Kathmandu Declaration:

The Kathmandu Declaration for homebased workers was adopted in 2000 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Government officials, Trade Unions, Civil Society organization from all the 7 countries of South Asia adopted the Kathmandu Declaration on 18^th October 2000.

Chapter emphasized:

-          Formulation of National Policy as per ILO Convention 177;

-          Minimum protection, remuneration, health and safety, childcare;

-          Incorporate homebased workers in official statistics;

-          SAARC should recognize and address the issue of homebased workers in the region.

Key Highlights –Indicators:

-          Organizing

o   Mapping of organizations of HBW – Rural and urban;

o   Building membership based organization of HBW;

o   Research on vulnerability of HBW – health care; child care; occupational health; old age pension; shelter.

o   Organization Mapping in 2003:

§  Bangladesh, Mapped: (275 organizations, 60,000 HBWs), Members: (91 organizations, 24,723 HBWs).

§  India, Mapped: (424 organizations, 228,222 HBWs), Members: (167 organizations, 66,599 HBWs).

§  Nepal, Mapped: (35 organizations, 9.000 HBWs). Members: (31 organizations, 17,305 HBWs).

§  Pakistan, Mapped: (308 organizations, 60,000 HBWs). Members: (50 organizations, 58,262 HBWs).

§  Sri Lanka, Mapped: (NA), Members: (NA).

-          Network

·         Developed and promoted national networks in each country.

·         Members on national networks include cooperatives, self-help groups, community-based organizations, NGOs, and Trade Unions.

·         Alliance with national Trade Unions.

·         Alliance with International Organization – WIEGO, GLI, ETI.

-          Advocacy At SAARC

·         Raise the issue at SAARC level;

·         Recognition by SAARC – Homenet South Asia as representative of HBW in the region;

·         In Nepal and Pakistan – policies on HBW have been submitted to Ministry of Labor;

·         In India – task force has been formed to discuss the policy;

·         Definition on HBW has been developed by Ministry of Statistics in India.

-          Social Security;

-          Livelihood.

SABAH – HBWs Company

·         SABAH is the HBWs promoted in each country (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka).

·         To enhance income and livelihood of HBWs by forming their own production group and linking directly with the market.

Challenges:

1.       Definition of HBW – ILO definition doesn’t take HBWs, it takes only home-workers (collection of data).

2.       Building MBOs – forming MBOs from cluster in expensive, time consuming, a lot of visits, sustainability.

3.       Identifying HBWs – scattered.

4.       Concurrent mechanism from government – change in policy makers takes the initiative back to square one.

5.       Alliance with National Trade Unions – formal trade unions are not interested in informal economy issues.

6.       Multi status or workers – vending and HBWs.

WIEGO Support:

1.       Definition of HBWs – adoption at South Asia;

2.       Collection of Data on HBWs in South Asia and South East Asia.

3.       Building MBOs of HBWs;

4.       Forming of international network;

5.       Ratification ILC 177;

6.       IUP – more directions on preliminary study on urban issues of HBWs; Technical role – during workshop to have dialogues with city officials.

HomeNet South East Asia

Emergence of HomeNet SEA

In Southeast Asia, there are national HBWs networks (Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia) and organizing began more recently in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The first three emerged as part of a major ILO subregional project in 1988 to 1996 funded by DANIDA.

HNSEA Highlights

1.       Registration, institutionalization, upgrading systems, focus on resources generation, regular and elections towards greater democracy, transparency, accountability and HBWs participation.

2.       Organizing, expansion, shifting to MBO;

3.       Knowledge sharing through annual subregional workshops (social protection, fair trade, OSH, solidarity economy, MBOs) research and publications, regular, news magazine, popular website.

4.       Advocacy for laws and policies – HBW bill, MACWIE, ILC177 on HBW, and ASEAN.

5.       Networking with IDAs (UNIFEM, ILO), trade unions (FNV), sister organizations (HNSA, SEWA, WIEGO).

HomeNet Thailand

1.       Serves 7,000 HBWs in 5 regional networks and now moving to MBOs.

2.       Policy campaign (HBW bill), social security (pensions).

3.       High visibility in advocating for occupational safety and health, and for the approval of universal health insurance;

4.       Most success in focusing on OSH issues through its OSH project for HBWs and other informal workers.

5.       Now focusing on youth.

MWPRI (HomeNet Indonesia)

1.       Collaborating and Networking of 42 NGOs and serving 19,248 HBWs and other IWs in 11 cities.

2.       MWPRI form HWPRI as an independent association of Indonesian women HBWs.

3.       Mapping and data collecting;

4.       MBO organizing and capacity building, recognition as Trade Union.

5.       Legal advocacy and campaigns on social protection, ILC 177, and HBWs policies.

6.       Economic empowerment and cooperative formation.

7.       Participatory disaster management.

HomeNet Laos

1.       Through CDEA and the NALD, began undertaking occupational skills development training for HBWs producers in 2004, with support from HomeNetSEA through HomeNet Thailand.

2.       Affiliated with HNSEA in 2006, hosted SRW on Solidarity Economy in 2008.

3.       Now organizing and capacitating HBWs groups mainly in Vientiane and Luang Prabang.

4.       Organizing village banks;

5.       Established training research and media center in Vientiane to serve HBWs;

6.       Strong relations with Lao Women’s Union.

Artisans’ Association of Cambodia (AAC)

1.       Fair Trade organization affiliated in 2008;

2.       Works with 1,000 HBWs and other IWs (vendors, landmine and trafficking survivors, PWDs, PWAs) in Pnom Penh, Siem Reap, and others areas.

3.       Focuses on product development and market access.

4.       Now moving to MBO through IUP Project.

National Network of Informal Workers (PATAMABA) Philippines

1.       Patamaba is a people’s organization led by grassroots women, mainly HBWs who sought to empower themselves by founding and running their own organization.

2.       Its main strategies are: 1) participation in governance and institution building; 2) human development  services; 3) socio-economic assistance; 4) networking, advocacy, and para legal work

3.       Led in forming HomeNet Philippines and the Magna Carta for the Informal Sector Alliance (MAGCAISA).

4.       17,286 members in 12 regions, 34 provinces and 276 chapters.

5.       98% are women.

6.       Composed of HBWs, youth vendors, construction workers, and small transport.

Lesson Learned

1.       Centrality of organizing IWs, providing visibility, voice, participations, representation.

2.       Importance of IWs engaging local government bodies for advocacy and access;

3.       Research, mapping, and documentation of good practice as useful tools;

4.       Importance of solidarity economy and environmental security in this age of crisis.

Challenge:

1.       Impact of financial, economic, and environmental crises – climate change and worsening disasters;

2.       Shifting from NGOs to MBOs: organizational and financial sustainability of MBOs and their leader inadequate resources to address member needs;

3.       Political culture and instability;

4.       Continuing invisibility and non-recognition of HBWs especially in relation to ILC 177 campaign.

5.       Intergenerational continuity.

Support From WIEGO

1.       Social protection dialogue;

2.       Researches on social protection and financial crisis;

3.       Networking and learning from likeminded groups – SEWA, StreetNet, Waste Pickers, Domestic Workers;

4.       Information sharing – statistics, urban issues, MBO organizing, Poverty, IE, and gender;

5.       Organizational and financial evaluation;

6.       Inclusion in inclusive Urban Planning (IUP Project);

7.       Friendship, inspiration, and encouragement.

Domestic Workers Association

Asian Domestic Workers Network (ADWN) was officially formed in 2005 as an outcome of and exchange workshop of Asia Domestic Workers in Hong Kong 2004.  This exchange was organized by Committee for Asian Women (CAW).  It is the first Asian Based Network that links up local adult Domestic Workers organization.

Currently Committee of Asian Women is acting as the secretariat of the ADWN.  The network comprises of local adult DW organizations/unions and NGOs from Asia.  At present, we have membership from South Asia, East Asia, and South East Asia who are mostly DW organizations including societies, trade unions, and NGOs.  Our membership comprises of two categories, the regular and associate members.

The ADWN vision:

We envision a society that affirms domestic workers decent and dignified.  Make the invisible sector of domestic workers visible in society.  Make domestic work decent for all.

The ADWN Mission:

1.       Support self-organizing efforts of domestic workers in Asia;

2.       To provide assistance to member organizations in strengthening their formations and sustaining their initiatives;

3.       To encourage building of networks of domestic workers’ organizations that are formed/support by the local adult domestic workers themselves.

4.       To advocate for policies and programs for domestic workers, in local and international levels (including and especially and ILO Convention), that will effect change in valuing the work of domestic workers, in providing them access to social services and in promoting their rights as workers;

5.       To mobilize the support of different social partners and stakeholders, both in the local and regional levels, for the cause of domestic workers.

6.       To extend strong solidarity with other Asian DW struggles and work closely with (such as the child domestic workers and the migrant DW).

The ADWN Strategies

1.       Capacity Building, strengthen the capacity, skills and knowledge of member organizations by sharing organizing, training and lobbying strategies (including modules, IEC – information education communication materials and other pertinent documents) and through study tours and exchange programmes.

2.       Campaigns, support campaigns and advocacy activities of domestic workers’ organizations by exchanging solidarity messages, providing assistance to their events, securing media coverage and linking them to social partners.

3.       Networking, link up with other domestic workers organizations in Asia and exchange updates on efforts on the domestic work issue; bring in more social partners and stakeholders to the cause of domestic workers.

4.       Debates and discussions, initiate discussions on an ILO convention on Domestic workers.

Our Activities

Following are some things we have done so far:

1.       Exchange of local adult DW groups sharing on strategies for legal reform.

2.       Exchange among local adult DW groups sharing on their strategies in building DW organizations and leadership.

3.       Exchange for ADWN member to South Asia to share their strategies with South Asia DW organizations.

4.       Supporting local DW campaigns by issuing protest letters.

5.       Circulating updates information about the situation of DWs in Asia and their struggles.

Contact Details

Asian Domestic Workers Network (ADWN) c/o: Committee for Asian Women (CAW).

Mailing Address: 386/58, Ratchadaphisek 42, Ratchadaphisek Road, Ladyao, Chatujak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand.

Telephone: 662-9305634 and Fax: 662-9305633

Email: ADWN_asia@yahoo.com

Website: www.cawinfo.org

Members:

Regular Member

Nepal Domestic Workers Union (chair)

Tunas Mulia Domestic Workers Union (Yogyakarta – Indonesia) (secretary)

Hong Kong Domestic Workers General Union (Exco)

Tamil Nadu Domestic Worker Union (India) (Exco)

Nepali Domestic Workers Forum

Red Flag Women Movement

Penn Thozhilalargal Sangam (Women Worker’s Union) (India)

SEWA – Self Employed Women Association (India)

Korean House Managers Cooperative.

 Associate Members

Jala PRT, National Advocacy for Domestic Workers (Indonesia)

Rumpun Tjoet Njak Dien (Yogyakarta – Indonesia)

CWISH (Nepal)

North Eastern Regional Domestic Workers Movement (India)

Working Women’s Organization (Pakistan)

PERISAI, Association for Indonesian Child Study and Right Advocacy (Semarang – Indonesia)

Stree Jagruti Samiti (Karnataka – India)

Advisory Member:

Committee for Asian Women (CAW)

Panel 2

Home Workers

·         Recognizing as HBW MBOs.

·         Run or manage by mostly women.

Challenges:

·         Invisibility, need data and statistics.

·         Not recognize by the policy maker, hard to talk about protection to the policy maker.

·         Trade Union think HBW is a threat, low rate workers who work for factory informally.

·          

Domestic Workers

·         Organizing DW globally.

·         Push the ILO to make convention on DW.

Challenges:

·         Convention for DW, support to form global union network.

·         Support the economy even not directly but not recognize.

·         No contract at all except joint the union.

·         Hard to organize especially if use MBOs Model, support by NGOs only.

Discussion:

·         Human trafficking in DW.

·         Convention faces the block of policy maker in several country, need the right guidelines to the policy maker.

·         The policy makers treat differently local DW and migrant DW, need to move the domestic criminal to the human right criminal.

Note:

The country who ratified the convention must send report annually about the implementation of convention ratification.  The important of ratification also the block reason for policy maker.    

Example: ILC177 is hard to ratified, only 7 countries ratified the ILC 177.

·         Challenge the next convention, the DW conventions, low attention of policy maker.

·         Data and statistic, WIEGO will support but hard work waiting.  The definition of HW and DW must be clear.

·         The support from trade union to DW and HW movement.

·         The collaboration among informal worker, trade union, government is needed and important.  Makes HW and DW visible in front of the policy maker is very important.

·         Informal economy condition, problem, and issues are more difficult and complex than the formal economy condition.  The policy maker still busy with the formal sector and they didn’t want add work with informal sector.

WIEGO Support for HW and DW

Support for HW:

-          WIEGO one of the sponsor for HW and informal economy movement.

-          More support for data collecting and statistic for HW.

-          Research and networking in the global level.

-          Exposure about social protection for HW.

-          Dissemination and publication about HW globally.

Support for DW

-          International or global supports to make DW issue recognize.

-          Supports global movement of DW.

-          Global campaign for DW issue.

Note:

WIEGO supports all the informal economy movement.

International Domestic Workers Network founded June 2009, emancipation of women and emancipation of labour.

WIEGO PRESENTATION

Increasing the voice of the women working poor:

-          Increase visibility,

-          Policy analysis,

-          Research and data.

Influencing the policy maker to pay attention to the informal economy issues.

The Project:

1.       Organization representations program:

·        Building the data base of informal economy activities and movement.

·        The informal economy and the law project.

·        Networking among the members.

2.       Social protection program:

·        Social policy in informal economy, emphasis the policy maker to pay attention to the informal economy issue.

·        Occupational safety and health.

3.       Statistic Program:

·        Mapping and data of informal economy workers, as the dialogue media among the stake holders in local and international level. Influencing the policy maker (global and national).

4.       Urban Policy Program:

·        Inclusive urban planning.

·        The impact of Global Economic Crisis to the informal economy.

·        Street trading specialist, waste recycling specialist, and homeworkers specialist against the informality.

5.       Global Trade Program:

·        The contribution of informal economy to the global market and economic.

·        Developing the manual of organizing the HW and IE workers.

6.       Global Project Director:

·        Inclusive Cities Project.

·        Women economic empowerment project.

7.       Initiative and Intellectual Activities

·        Dialogue among the intellectual especially with mainstream economist.

·        Law and policy dialogue to the national and global policy maker.

Note: WIEGO now work in the 44 countries in various issues and activities on informal economy.

WIEGO GOVERNANCE PRESENTATION

WIEGO Work plan 2010—2011

1.       Stengthening MBOs and Nets for WP, IDWN, HN and Informal workers in General

-          International network

-          Campaign for ILO Convention

-          Manual on organizing in Data base

-          Maintain and improve the Bata base

2.       Improve the statistics

-          Manual on survey methods

-          Measurement of informal employment

-          Statistical classification on city level data and data on specific group

3.       Promote Research

-          Agenda setting research and conference and international research network.

-          Studies on urban informal economy

-          GEC study methodology

-          Project on Social protection for IW.

-          Edited volume in the working poor in the urban IE.

4.       Document Good practice

-          Observatory of urban laws, ordinances, and regulations.

-          Case studies of good practices example.

-          Case studies of cooperative and producer groups and fair trade federations.

-          Good practices if carbon credit.

5.       Policy Analysis

-          Law and the IE project,

-          Occupational safety and health,

-          Voice of IW in social policy development project,

-          IE budget analysis,

-          Joint framing of policies issues and demand of IW.

6.       Convene Policy Dialogues

-          Representative policy dialogues,

-          National, regional, and international policy dialogues.

7.       Other Initiatives

-          Urban planning curriculum.

-          Exposure and dialogue program.

8.       Communications

-          Set of research paper, issue paper, policy brief, and fact sheet.

-          Develop web resources (micro finance, fair trade, relevance laws, workers education materials, basic statistical tables).

-          Develop and disseminate research, documentation, and policy analysis publications.

Note:

1.       The program of WIEGO is based on the issue not by the organization based.

2.       Set up the alternative economic.  Shifting the paradigm, promises and theorem of mainstream economic.

3.       Contextualization of the issue.  Example WP in climate change context and IW in the GEC.

4.       Meet the research and advocacy.  Important for participatory action research.  Shift the tools and methodology to more participatory.

5.       Researchers and expertise on MBOs.  Participatory research.

6.       Broader the WIEGO activities to Asia and Middle East

WIEGO constitutions (2007)

WIEGO is the networking organization of researcher, policy maker, MBOs, etc.  Registered as Charity Organization at Manchester – United Kingdom.

WIEGO and Workforce in The Future (Ella Bath – SEWA India)

SEWA based on The Gandhi Economy Way.

SEWA combining the cooperative movement and trade union movement.

The purpose is makes balance the economic and help the poor.

SEWA is the organization of researcher and academe meet with the development agency and policy maker.

Organizing globally the Women Informal Workers is important to make a better world for all.

Creating dignity and occupational for them self, because:

1.       WIE live in the obsolence and marginalized community, so make the WIE life not decent.

2.       Labor intensive become industrialize with machine and capital intensive, WIE increase and worse condition.

Action:

1.       Collaboration of the formal and informal sector fairly and equally.

2.       Creating a new concept of alternative economy.

3.       Changing the balance of power, increase the bargaining position for WIE.

4.       It isn’t poor contribute to the climate change but facing the risk of climate change, WIEGO must send the messages to the world leader.

5.       Disseminate the contribution of IE to the economic development.

6.       Reduce conflict between the community and industry and livelihood and business.

7.       Tell the private business community to pay attention to the livelihood and community.

8.       Combining the IE and business to make the sustainability.

Challenge:

1.       Make the IE profitable and growth sustainability.

2.       Form the frame work of the sustainable economic with the IE included.

INCLUSIVE CITY EVENT AT FEDERAL UNIVERSIDADE MINAS GERAIS

Inclusive City for Poor People (Prof. Malise Matos – Head of Politic Science Department UFMG)

The development of social theory should recognize the Informal Economy representative and promote social justice and contemporary world.

No social order as the new paradigm of liberalization in politics and social.

Revolution of social movement in Latin America:

·         Against the liberalization by USA and Europe.

·         To make inequality become equal.

·         Erase the exclusivity and become inclusivity.

Promote the different action against the exclusivity:

·         Restructure the public policy.

·         Inclusive city movement.

Inclusive Cities and The Urban Working Poor (Marty Chen – Harvard University and WIEGO)

·         Current Reality

·         The Urban Informal Economy

·         Common Concerns

·         Specific Concerns

·         Inclusion and Development

·         Inclusive Cities and The Urban Working Poor

Popular Shopping Areas in Belo Horizonte: Rethinking the Use of Public Space in Brazil (Prof. Magda Neves – Universidade Chatolica)

Use public city for all to fit with the social right and to make a better quality of life.  Restructure the city infrastructure to make space for the public space, a place for everybody to meet each other.

Example: Popular shopping center.

·         A market or center for street vendor.

·         To create working opportunity for the unemployment.

·         Inclusive public policy

o   No exclusion of street vendors.

o   No eviction of street vendors.

o   Create the place for street vendor for the decent work place.

The shopping center becomes the public space for everyone.

Waste Pickers at Peru (Walter Correa – LAWPN – Peruian Movement of  Waste Pickers)

Do capacity building and development of waste pickers through organization, especially against the environmental law.

The waste-pickers movement promotes the WP against the law enforcement.  WP help to clean environment through waste picking and recycling, makes the waste useful.

The challenges:

·         Facing the waste recycling by the private corporation. Against the commercialization of waste.

·         Facing the policy that excludes the WP organization and WP community.

Promote the involvement and include the WP on the waste management community, and  formalization of WP organization.  United we’ll achieve a better future.

Housing and Basic Infrastructure For The Working Poor (Renana Jhabvala – SEWA India)

SEWA Trade Union of SE and Working founded 1974 by Ella Bhatt.

60% people live in the urban area in India (Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Patna).

Now, SEWA capitalization are 1,2 billion rupees with 1,2 million members.

The SEWA activities are saving, credit, insurance, pensions, financial counseling with no collateral and door to door activities.

The SEWA programs:

·          Housing loans for homeworkers and improve the infrastructure and livelihood of living environment.

·         Up gradation: transformation in urban area.

Partnership program of infrastructure development with Ahmedabad municipal corporation.  Cost sharing among community, private sector, and municipal corporation.

-          Improve health status.

-          Decrease on health spending.

-          Productivity and income improve.

-          The social status improvement.

·         Restructuring the cities  (modern and inclusive)

Flagship program with 40% funds for urban poor, toward slum-free cities.  Policies and zoning to encourage informal employment (street vendor space, homeworkers zoning, waste pickers inclusion in waste management).

“Beauty life not in building but beauty life in people”.

World Class Cities for All Campaign (Pat Horn – Street Net International Coordinator)

StreetNet International founded in 2002.

Against the FIFA World Cup 2002 at Korea and Japan policy, the policy to eviction the street vendor and street vendor free around the world cup venue.

Did negotiable and pressure through media and publication. 9 countries joint become the StreetNet International.

November 2006 declare the “World Class Cities for All Campaign”

Do campaign in every mega event like FIFA World Cup 2010 at South Africa, in every Olympiad, Common Wealth Game 2011 at India etc.

SNI Working with Trade Union, Social Movement, Child Right, Street Child Organization, etc. now a day.

Participation and Social Inclusion In The Solid Waste Sector – Brazil Solid Waste Management

The city hall gives the training program to the WP association.

Correction of the environment:

-          Social assistant to WP.

-          Technical assistant to WP.

-          Food program

Collecting the food material from supermarket and recycle than distribute to the vulnerable community.

The National Waste and Citizenship Forum (Sonia Diaz- WIEGO)

·         Social mobilization

Visibility to social inclusion of the informal recycles.

·         Objective

Creation of an ethical constrain towards.

·         Strategy

National waste and citizenship forum (1998).

-          Eradication of child labor.

-          Social inclusion of WP.

-          Eradication of open dumps

National alliance with leading organization of the sanitation sector.

·         How the forum worked

-          Support the process of WP organizing into cooperatives and association.

-          Through the development of publication with guidelines for policy makers and NGOs.

-          Capacity building of all factors involved organization.

-          Involved the policy maker.

·         Achievements

-          WP was recognized as profession, so they included into Brazilian classification of occupations and appear in the official statistics.

-          Financial support from federal government.

-          Elaboration of studies with Ministry of Social Development.

-          Push government to form and creating inter-ministerial committee of social inclusion of WP.

-          Social fund from National Bank of Brazil.

-          Campaign no children in open dumps.

-          Meeting point among government, civil society, and private sector.

-          National with movement of WP.

Minas Gerais State Waste and Citizenship Forum (Fabiana Goulart – INSEA)

Mission: Support WP

Form: NGOs and Academic institutions.

Program: push the solid waste policy.

Activities:

-          Held festival on WP

Also invite the WP movement all around the world.

-          Irrigate the privatization on the waste management.

-          Research on social economical condition of WP.

-          Influencing the waste management policy making.

Municipal Waste and Citizenship Forum : Strengtening the Waste Pickers Cooperative (Nely Medeiros – Coopersoli Barreiro)

WP Cooperative sending the message to government to give the WP cooperative public space to meet and organize.

The City hall gives the WP cooperative a space for office and meeting place.

-          Form social enterprise of WP

Form collecting, segregation, recycling and selling enterprise.

-          Political representation on the policy maker.

-          Form 15 cooperatives to face the middleman and cut the value chain shorter.

WIEGO FUND RAISING WORKHSOP

GROUP SHARING

StreetNet International

·         International trade union movement as the funding sourcing, example:  Holland.

·         Direct MBO’s, example: BMGF.

·         Transparancy, example: reported monthly.

·         Do not let the donor dictate, especially in programs.  Risky but build their respect to us.

HomeNet South East Asia

Experience from UNIFEM.

·         Make the donors and organization need fit.

·         Read and Study the guidelines carefully.

·         Proposal cutting edge (innovative).

·         Competent proposal writers.

·         Follow requirement strictly and provide supporting document including the recommendations.

·         Use network to support.

·         Do not ask too much in term of our capacity.

Latin America Waste Pickers Association

·         Well organized MBOs of Waste pickers

·         Motivating for Basis to involve.

·         Transparency to members is important as well as with donors.

·         Supported by law, provide training for basis in all country.

·         Alliance with government to provide training.

·         Working with the credit unions organization, loans with low rate.

·         Contribute as matching value of money in proposals.

SEWA – India

·         Trade unions funding and Government support.

·         Issue based funding, example: environmental, urban, women, etc.)

·         Need analysis for 3 years plan and share with different funders.

·         Need comes from members and never fit to funders programs.

·         Strong finance management and reporting on time.

Domestic Workers International Organization

·         Action based, example: campaign.  Because donors like action.

·         Short term and specific goals.

·         Educate the donors.

·         Develop new strategy approach.

·         Long term plan help secure the funding.

·         Use the international networks, example: NDG’s

HomeNet South Asia

·         Prepare grounded data (mapping, data basing, and need analysis).

·         Registered to open the funding doors.

·         High visibility to sensitize major stake holders.

·         Form cooperative and company of basis.

·         Legal registration is very important.

·         Good governance (structure) is important.

·         Build up trust funders to the organization.

·         Educate the funders to know and understand our need.

·         Due diligence.

CHALLENGES

·         Donors often change their mind and do not know their own want.

·         Demand too much but give just a little.

·         Often Change the mandate.

·         The issue is not sexy for funders.

·         The impact of the financial crisis.

·         Build up the expectations to us but then let us down and we can do anything.

·         Persist to their agenda than fit to our vision, mission, and purpose.

·         Proposal Writing, systematic is different among the donors.

·         The funder’s requirement is complicated.

·         Requirement to hire the professionals and expertise.  Expensive and did not give us change to come empowered.

·         Some of funders rejected the activist organization.

·         Funding working for their own home audiences, so they must make impression to the home audiences.

·         Donor wants to be voluntary based organization.

·         Require high level accountancy system and financial report.  We must hire the professional but the fund is limited.

·         Limited human resource who can write proposal, reporting (progress and financial report).

ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENT FUND RAISING

Fundamental Elements Donors Look For:

·         Legal entity.

·         Democratic structure and active governance.

·         Transparent finances (accepted accounting principles).

·         Good administration systems.

·         Clear mission, vision, description of problem and solution.

·         Clear project budget.

·         Prior project management experience.

Some of these may be negotiable (example: use fiscal sponsor) but the more funds you seek to raise, the more of these you will need to have place.

COVERING CORE COST

·         Find funders who love you! Often a funder will buy into your mission and operations with multi-year core funding. It’s possible.

·         Ensure that some core costs are covered with every project you have.  This is more challenging, requires careful budgeting/tracking.

·         Find ways to generate private sources of revenue, example: product sales, consultations, etc.

KEY ORGANIZATIONAL NEED FOR EFFECTIVE FUNDRAISING

More Often Required

·         Existence of a formal legal entity.

·         Constitution and by-laws.

·         Elected board of directors.

·         Organizational bank account with two signing officers requires.

·         Financial statements for previous period.

·         Financial system suitable to the size of grants managed.

·         Prior project management experience (skilled staff).

Some Donors May Also Ask For

·         Conflict of interest guidelines.

·         Description of members and voting or representation processes.

·         Proof of non-profit status in your home country.

·         Proof of taxation exemption.

·         Proof that all required filings with government bodies are current.

·         Proof of permission for foreign funds to enter country.

·         Organizational chart or structure.

·         Auditor’s report on financial statements

·         Description of financial and operational procedures.

To grow income over time, it pays to develop all of the above systems or structures and prepare the appropriate documentation.  If a group does not have all of these in place, it does not mean they cannot raise any funds – it may be possible to find a fiscal sponsor who has all of these items in place and who will agree to accept and manage the funds on the group’s behalf.  However, the trade-off in this case is potentially a loss of control, as well as typically needing to allocate some portion of grant funds towards the overhead costs of the fiscal sponsor.

Tips for Writing Effective Fundraising Proposals

Based on the experience of WIEGO and some of its partners, here are some general tips and suggestions for writing effective fundraising proposals.

1.       Finding the Right Donors

There are many different donor organizations – different shapes, size, policies, etc.  How do you identify the ones that might be good for your organization? There are several factors to take into account.  How demanding are their reporting or administration requirements? How flexible are they? What size grant do they typically give? There’s no point going to a donor that deals in millions, when you only need a few thousand, and vice versa.  Do they support projects in your country or region? Do they demonstrate an interest in supporting workers’ organizations? One effective way identifying the most suitable donors is by asking similar organizations to your own who they’ve found to be most helpful and supportive-asking round at conferences, meetings etc. Some organizations might be reluctant to share this information, but most will be happy to share the information.  Sometimes organizations also post this information in their newsletter or online.izations? one interest in supporting workers'ed a few thousand, and vice versa.  Do they support projects in your country

2.       Know the Donor – Adopt to Their Needs (or Not)

Each proposal you write be adapted to the specific needs and requirements of a targeted donor.  Review the donor’s website and any details in their call for proposals (if this exists). Talk to the donor if you can, or to other group who know this donor, and try to asses if this donor will be a good fit for your organization.  If the aims and perspective of your organization are different from the expectations and objectives of the donors, it may not be a good fit and you may want to consider looking elsewhere for funds.  Not all donors are right for every project or organization.

Once you’ve read the requirements, make sure your organization can demonstrate that it can meet them and be sure to follow all of the instructions given in the application instructions or call for porposals.  It’s a good idea to read the application guidelines several weeks to even months in advance in case something will be required that may take you some time to prepare, such as project consultation meetings of organizational documentation you don’t yet have in place.

3.       Create a Proposal Template – Then Modify as Needed

Although each donor has their own needs and requirements, such things your organization’s mission, vision, programs, objectives, history and structure will not change.  Having these things already written down in a proposal template will make it easier to raise funds because when you hear about a call for proposals or an opportunity to approach a donor, a good deal of the work will be done in advance and you can just “cut and paste”.   This template can be updated and adapted with each new fundraising proposal.

Many fundraising proposals are requested to be submitted in English or sometimes another UN language is appropriate, particularly for government agencies or large foundation in the UK or US.  If you have the above information prepared advance, you could consider having a native English speaker review it for you to catch any translation issues.

4.       Be Clear About Who Are You

A key element to any proposal is a clear and concise explanation or your organization’s mission, vision and programs.  It may help to think of the vision as the kind of world you would like to achieve and the mission as the specific role your organization plays to achieve this world.  Your programs should lead naturally from these.  If you have a strategic plan in place which provides some goals or objectives for the short, medium and or long term, then having concise statements of these will also be helpful.  If you don’t have strategic plan or specific goals in place, then you may find yourself to create these for some funding proposals, which can lead to a danger if your goals are always defined by what donors are looking for.

5.       Be Clear About the Need and Your Proposed Solution

In any fundraising proposal, you will be asked to define the need.  Sometimes you will be given a lot of space to do this, and other times you may be asked to summarize it very briefly.  The need should be related to your organization’s primary mission and goals.  This is a good place to refer to research on the informal economy that may relevant for your occupational sector, country or region.  The donor will want to hear that you have sufficient expertise and a thorough understanding of the problem – but they will also be looking to see that they agree with your assessment of the problem.  It can be useful to refer back to the donor materials and application guidelines to see if the donor is coming at the problem with a specific lens, angle, or theme, such a gender, small enterprise development, social protection etc.

One the need is clearly stated, the next task is to outline precisely how your organization would address the problem.  This is a strategic overview that demonstrates why your organization is in fact the best positioned to address this particular problem, followed by and outline of the specific project activities you are proposing.

6.       Build a Budget

Each project will require its own budget.  Sometimes donors will have their own budget format for you to follow, with specific categories, and sometimes they will allow you to establish the budget categories according to your project.

If your organization does not have an overall budget for how it will cover its operating requirements, then you want to create one – this will help you ensure that organization is sustainable and not just running from project to project.  Some organizations have and ideal budget for cost they would ideally like to cover if they could raise the funds, and a “basic minimum” budget of the absolutely essential costs.

In every project, try to assess how much of your organizational costs a particular can also contribute in addition to the funds fir direct project activities.  Essentially, any project activity places a certain operational burden on your organization and most donors understand that they should contribute something towards these operational costs.  Sometimes called “core costs”.  This may be in the form of a staff person’s salary charged to the project, if that person will do some of the project work, or a percentage added for overhead or operations.  Check with donor requirements to see how much can be charged and how they would like to see those costs reflected in your budget.  Allocations of 8—10% for overhead/core costs on a project are not unreasonable if the donor guidelines will permit this.

If you created and ideal budget for your operational requirements and you can find a donor who believes in your mission and your organization, then you may be able to secure funding that is solely intended to cover those costs.  This is worth trying!

When reviewing your budget, funders will be asking themselves these questions:

·         Can this project reasonably be done with this budget?

·         Based on our knowledge of the country/region, is the budget too high or too low?

·         Is there anything missing from this budget?

·         Is there sufficient budget detail and explanation to help us understand what is intended?

7.       Gather Supporting Materials

Many donors will require appendices or supporting materials, and for each donor these required documents may be different.  You should read the application guidelines carefully at the start to be sure you have all these materials or will be able to get them in the timeframe.  Some examples of supporting documents requested by donors include: reference letters or letters of support, certification of non-profit or tax status, CVs for project leaders, bibliographies, tables/chart outlining project timing or project milestones, detailed budget spreadsheets, tapes or video, evaluation reports for previous projects, commitments from partnering agencies, etc.

8.       Ensure Your Organization is Strong

For funders in the global North, there has been a strong emphasis over the last decade on “accountability and results”.  Sometimes this can mean having to use certain template for presenting information, such as logical framework, but generally it always means there is a strong emphasis on working with strong, accountable organizations.

You can demonstrate that you are a strong organization by having the following things in place:

·         A democratically-elected Board of Directors and a written Constitution showing how elections happen.

·         An organizational bank account with at least two signatures required as opposed to directing funds through personal bank account.

·         Conflict of interest guidelines to ensure your Board Members cannot receive personal benefit from serving the organization.

·         Financial systems that allow your organization to track all project expenditures back to separate project grants.

·         A Summary of your organization’s history of managing different project.  

9.       Consider Sustainability

Increasingly, donors want to know that the outcomes of the projects they fund will be sustainable.  You may be asked to address this directly in the proposal, or you may benefit even if it isn’t asked for if you can address how impacts of the project will last beyond the timing of a specific project.  Don’t overpromise things you can’t deliver but do take time to consider how your project activities might be made more sustainable and make those changes if they are not too onerous on your organization.

A donor may ask the sustainability of your organization.  In this case, they are likely particularly looking for information about other funders to assure themselves that you will not cease operations during the project period.

An important factor in sustainability is assessing how much your organization can reasonably handle in terms of both funding and project activity.  It can be tempting to apply for large amounts of funding but you will need to have the systems in place to manage those funds and if your organization is not already strong and sustainable, large amounts of funding can sometimes cause significant problems.

10.   Be exact

When you have developed a draft proposal, it can help to go back to the donor guidelines again and ensure you have responded to every question and included every required document. In larger competitions, proposals will be immediately excluded if all of the elements are not complete or the correct documents are not included.  This can also involve getting live signature from Board of Members and delivering hard copies to an office, or submitting in an online format you may not be familiar with.

Some donors will have exact specifications for their proposals, such as paper size of font size, margins, requirements for cover pages, etc.  Always read and follow the donor guidelines.

11.   Write Well

Whatever language your proposal is in, review the final document to ensure that your language is clear if possible, having a native language speaker read and edit the proposal may be helpful, particularly if you are applying to a large competition with many organizations that will have more resources than you currently have.  Don’t let your proposal go unfunded because the language was not clear to the donor.

12.   In the End

Once your proposal has been submitted on time, then you wait. Or, you may update that same proposal and summit it to another donor.  Until you have written confirmation, you don’t know if you’ve succeeded or not.  Not all proposal will be successful but if you keep pursuing it and ensuring your organization is strong, you will find the funds you need for your work.

13.   A Shirt List of Don’ts for Fundraising Proposals

·         Don’t submit after the deadline and expect to be given special consideration.

·         Don’t send generic proposal template without adapting in to the specific needs and requirements of the donor.

·         Don’t send more pages or words than the application calls for.

·         Don’t use acronym or jargon without explaining them.

·         Don’t get the email or mailing address incorrect.

·         Don’t send something by email when hard copy id requested, or vice versa.

·         Don’t leave your organization survival in the hands of one donor or project proposal.

FOUNDERS for MBO’s (Below and Above USD20.000/years)

FUNDERS	Interest	Money Less or More than 20,000 per year
FES - Germany	Social change	Less
FNC – Netherland Trade Union	Labour and Trade Union	More
MISERCOR - Germany	Thematic	Less
Oxfam International	Gender, Fair Trade, Environmental	More
Asia Research Foundation	Social Research	Less
GTZ - Germany	Social Change	More
Swiss Contact	Social Change	More
World Bank	Economic Development	More
Asian Development Bank	Economic Development	More
USAID – USA	Social Development	More
AUSAID – Australia	Social Development	More
JICA - Japan	Social Development	Less
Ford Foundation	Social Development	More
Action Aid	Social Development	More
CLC (Canadian Labor  Congress)	Labor Movement	More
Solidarity Center of the AFL-CIO	Social Development	Less
LO - Sweden	Labor Movement	More
LO – FTF Denmark	Labor Movement	More
SASK - Finland	Labor Movement	More
European Union	Social Development	More
ISCOD - Spain	Social Development	Less
Mama Cash - Holland	Women Economic Development	Less
LO - Norway	Labor Movement	More
Comic Relief	Social Movement	More
Nor-Aid	Social Development	More
DANIDA	Social Development	More
Miserior	Social Development	Less
Avina	Social Development	Less
HIVOS - Holland	Social Development	More
EPA (Government Federal USA)	Social Development	More
Bill and Mellinda Gate Foundation	Women Working Poor	More