Informal Economy Podast: Social Protection

In this episode, we start a new building block of our social protection solar system with the first part of the topic on delivery and provision of social protection. We will be looking at the innovations in the delivery of services and cash grants, focusing on informal workers and on the role that informal workers organizations might have in improving access to these workers by facilitating the last mile delivery of services or benefits. To open this block, we will turn to Africa and look into three cases of provision of child care services. First, we go to South Africa, to talk to Richard Dobson about the pop-up child care facility in the Warwick Junction market, in Durban. Richard is an architect and co-founder of the NGO Asiye eTafuleni. Next, we move to Accra, in Ghana, to talk to Dorcas Ansah, WIEGO's Accra Focal city coordinator. We discussed the guidelines for implementing child care facilities in the Ghanaian capital markets and the plans for expanding the initiative. We finish our tour in Rwanda, where the market vendors association SITRIECY is also implementing child care facilities in the Kigali markets. We talked to SITRIECY's secretary-general and StreetNet International treasurer Jeanette Nyiramassengesho. She explained their approach to combine provision of child care for informal workers' children in markets with the creation of a community savings group. *** Learn more - WIEGO: Child Care in Markets: An E-Book https://www.wiego.org/research-library-publications/child-care-in-markets/ - Working in Warwick: Including Street Traders in Urban Plans https://www.wiego.org/research-library-publications/working-warwick-including-street-traders-urban-plans/ - WIEGO - Child Care in Markets project: https://www.wiego.org/project/child-care-markets/ - Guidelines and Standards for Day-Care Centres in and around Markets in Ghana, by Susan Sabaa, Dela Quarshie-Twum https://www.wiego.org/advocacy-worker-education-resources/guidelines-and-standards-day-care-centres-and-around-markets-ghana/ - Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn9niHLL8vI - About Asiye eTafuleni https://aet.org.za/about-asiye-etafuleni/our-story/

In the fourth and last episode of the governance building block we dive into the discussion of social dialogue and social protection for informal workers. But what does social dialogue actually mean? How can in be used as a tool to improve social protection schemes to better include informal workers? What are the aspects we should look at when analysing these spaces and what are the main barriers workers in the informal employment face to access them? To help us understand these questions we invited two guests. First, we are going to talk to Jane Barrett, who will set the stage and introduce us to the main aspects of social dialogue, the power dynamics and how these spaces should work. Jane is the former Organization and Representation programme director at WIEGO. She has extensive experience in collective bargaining, membership recruitment and organizing, trade union membership and leadership education, research and policy advocacy. In the second part of the episode we talk to Aura Sevilla, who will talk about the concrete social dialogue experiences in Southeast Asia. Aura is the Southeast Asia focal point of the Social Protection programme at WIEGO. She has been working in a study report analysing six countries in the region: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References Informal workers and dialogue for social protection, Social Protection Responses to COVID-19 #3, by Annie Devenish and Cyrus Afshar https://www.wiego.org/social-protection-responses-covid-19/ Social Dialogue for the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy, by Global Deal https://www.wiego.org/research-library-publications/social-dialogue-transition-informal-formal-economy/

In the third episode of the governance building block we move on to the discussion of legal frameworks and social protection. How can legal provisions of participation, access to information, transparency and equality be leveraged to include those workers into social protection systems? What are the main legal frameworks? How does administrative justice work for this end and how it can be used a tool for informal workers in their advocacy efforts? To help us understand these questions we invited Pamhidzai Bamu. Pamhi holds a masters and a PhD in Labour Law from the University of Cape Town. She is currently the President of the African Labour Law Society. She has consulted for the International Labour Organisation and the Southern African Development Community on various projects. She is currently the Africa Coordinator of WIEGO's Law Programme. *** References Social Protection for Self-Employed Informal Workers in Sub-Saharan Africa: A rights-based assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis https://www.wiego.org/publications/social-protection-self-employed-informal-workers-sub-saharan-africa-rights-based R202 - Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202) https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_INSTRUMENT_ID:3065524 C189 - Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C189 African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights https://au.int/en/treaties/african-charter-human-and-peoples-rights *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

In the second episode of the governance building block we continue to discuss the issues surrounding digitization and social protection. This time, we take a political economy perspective to understand the interests, ideas, actors and policy implications of digitization. To help us understand this complex issue, we invited again Ruth Castel-Branco, Ruth is a Senior Researcher at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. Her research is focused on the casualization of labour, worker organizing and the redistributive role of the state. She has studied the case of Mozambique, and shared some of her findings with us in this talk. References Improvising an E-state: The Struggle for Cash Transfer Digitalization in Mozambique, by Ruth Castel-Branco. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dech.12665

In this episode, we start a new building block of our social protection solar system with the first episode on the topic of GOVERNANCE. We have invited two guests to lay the groundwork for this block, to help us understand social protection governance, as well as the new concerns and potentials brought by digitization. We start with Tony Roberts. Tony is a researcher based at the Institute of Development Studies on the campus of the University of Sussex in the UK. He has worked on the use of digital technologies in social justice organisations since 1988. As a founder of the African Digital Rights Network his research focuses on the human rights implications of introducing digital technologies. He will share some of the findings of his report on digitization and social protection. On the second part, we talked to Gbenga Sesan. Gbenga is the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, a non-profit organisation that works with digitization and data protection rights in Africa. He will bring some concrete cases of how digitization affects informal workers.

In the third episode of the registration block we travel to Latin America to take a regional overview of this issue regarding domestic workers. To learn the challenges these workers face to be registered, the positive experiences, as well as the opportunities and limitations digital technology tools offer in this task, among other issues revolving around registration for domestic workers in Latin America, we invited Adriana Paz. Adriana is currently Secretary General of the International Domestic Workers' Federation (IDWF). Previously, she served as Latin America Coordinator for more than six years, also at IDWF. References IDWF and WIEGO. Imagining Social Security for Domestic Workers. Available at: https://www.wiego.org/publications/imagining-social-security-domestic-workers ILO, UNWomen and OISS. Acceso de las personas trabajadoras domésticas remuneradas a la seguridad social en Iberoamérica. Available at: https://www.ilo.org/americas/publicaciones/WCMS_861167/lang--es/index.htm

In episode five of the systems' mapping, building blocks approach, we continue to explore the topic of registration. This time, we look closely at the Cambodian IDPoor programme, to understand to what extent a government-led effort to improve how beneficiaries of social assistance and social protection schemes are effectively accounted for – and what are the gaps, challenges and merits of this new registration drive. To understand the Cambodian case, we invited Bunly Than. Bunly is the lead of the Inclusive and shock-responsive social protection system project at Oxfam Cambodia. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References WIEGO Resource Document #30 (2023). Home-Based Workers' Access to Social Protection: Lessons Learned from the IDPoor Programme in Cambodia. Available at: https://www.wiego.org/publications/home-based-workers-access-social-protection-lessons-learned-idpoor-programme-cambodia Government of Cambodia (2021). Performance Assessment of the Cash Transfer Program for Poor and Vulnerable Households during COVID-19. Available at: https://nspc.gov.kh/Images/GiZ_CT_Policy%20Brief_20210602_Design_Draft_2021_06_02_17_46_02.pdf

And we start the year with the first episode of the second building block of our new season, in which we will discuss the issue of registration. How is digital technology helping to include informal workers into social protection schemes or how is it creating new barriers for these people to access protection? What are the risks and opportunities? What is the role of informal workers organisations in building more inclusive registration systems? These are some of the questions we will try to answer by looking at some cases of programmes and policies countries are implementing to expand their social protection systems to include informal workers. We start this new block with the case of the Social Relief of Distress Grant in South Africa. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, the government expanded the SRD to reduce the impact of income loss, targeting a much broader population than the ordinary social assistance programmes were covering. The second new aspect is that this policy was that it heavily relied on digital means to register new beneficiaries. To understand how the implementation of the SRD was rolled out, how digital forms of registration contributed or hindered access of informal workers to the grant, we talked to Hoodah Fayker. Hoodah holds a Law degree from the University of the Western Cape, and she is the National Advocacy Manager for the veteran human rights organisation Black Sash, which advocates for the right to social protection in South Africa. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References A Digital Bridge to Social Support https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/social-programs-for-informal-workers-must-bridge-digital-divide-by-laura-alfers-2021-06?barrier=accesspaylog R350 Covid grant is too little and excludes too many, research report finds https://www.groundup.org.za/article/r350-covid-grant-too-little-and-excludes-too-many-research-report-finds/ Social Protection in a Time of Covid: Lessons for Basic Income Support https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/social-protection-time-covid-lessons-basic-income-support Black Sash report reveals extent of issues experienced by Social Relief of Distress grant recipients https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-05-17-black-sash-report-reveals-extent-of-issues-experienced-by-social-relief-of-distress-grant-recipients/ SOCIAL PROTECTION IN A TIME OF COVID: LESSON FOR BASIC INCOME SUPPORT https://www.blacksash.org.za/social-protection-in-a-time-of-covid-lesson-for-basic-income-support/ The Social Relief of Distress Grant: how it stimulated local economies https://www.econ3x3.org/article/social-relief-distress-grant-how-it-stimulated-local-economies COVID-19 Crisis and the Informal Economy: Informal Workers in Durban, South Africa https://www.wiego.org/publications/covid-19-crisis-and-informal-economy-informal-workers-durban-south-africa

This is the third and last episode of the financing building block. Previously, we discussed alternative ways to finance social protection extension for waste pickers in India and Argentina, and the struggle to finance gig workers in Rajasthan. Now we explore the challenges of financing social protection in a changing world of work. What are the possible paths, strategies and innovations countries are undertaking to include informal workers? What about digital platforms: is there room to improve social protection for these workers? To discuss these and other issues we invited two guests: Sarah Cook and Ruth Castel-Branco. Sarah is a Professor and Head of the School of Economics at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. She has held UN positions as Director of UNRISD and UNICEF's Office of Research-Innocenti. Her research focuses on China's economic and social development, covering issues of gender, labour and social policy. Ruth Castel-Branco is a Senior Researcher at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at the University of the Wit-waters-rand. Her research is focused on the casualization of labour, worker organizing and the redistributive role of the state. She holds a PhD in Sociology also from the University of the Witwatersrand. They talked to us about some of the findings and debates arising from their research. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References Podcast: Financing Social Protection for Waste Pickers in India and Argentina. Informal Economy Podcast, episode 33 https://soundcloud.com/informaleconomypodcastsp/33-financing-social-protection-for-waste-pickers-in-india-and-argentina Pune Waste Pickers' Innovative Efforts to Fund the Extension of Decent Work and Social Protection, WIEGO Resource Document 33. Available at: www.wiego.org%2Fpublications%2Fpune-waste-pickers-innovative-efforts-fund-extension-decent-work-and-social-protection&token=83d341-1-1701176313090 Efforts of Argentina's Informal Waste Pickers to Finance Decent Work and Social Protection through Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation, WIEGO Resource Document 34. Available at: www.wiego.org%2Fpublications%2Fefforts-argentinas-informal-waste-pickers-finance-decent-work-and-social-protection&token=e9c485-1-1701176313090

The current episode is the second of this new season. We will continue to look at the issue of financing, which was the topic of the first episode of the system's mapping series. We will talk about a very important theme: how to finance the inclusion of gig workers from digital platforms of service provisions in social protection system. We turn our attention to the Indian State of Rajasthan, where the local legislative has just passed a law creating the Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Board. In order to understand what the Welfare Board is, what is their role in financing informal workers' social protection, how will it work and the challenges and potential ahead I invited Nikhil Dey. Nikhil is a social activist in India for the empowerment of peasants and workers, and is a founder member of the MKSS, a membership-based organization that fights for the right to information and to advocate for a national work guarantee law in India. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References: The Wire: "Gig Workers' First Major Victory in India: Rajasthan Leads the Way" https://thewire.in/labour/gig-workers-first-major-victory-in-india-rajasthan-leads-the-way WIEGO Resource Document No. 37: "I Will Not Auction My Back! Lessons from Maharashtra's Welfare Boards in Financing Social Protection for Informal Workers" https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/file/wiego-resource-document-no.37.pdf

WIEGO inaugura una nueva etapa de su podcast. A partir de este episodio, vamos a comprender mejor las piezas del sistema de protección social, para poder mejor comprender los retos, oportunidades y dificultades que enfrentan los trabajadores informales. Todo eso ofreciendo la perspectiva de los trabajadores, desde una aproximación ascendente. En esta etapa, daremos atención especial al tema de la digitalización, aunque no será el único aspecto discutido aquí. Vamos a mirar como la tecnología está siendo utilizada para mejorar la inclusión de trabajadores informales, pero también comprender los riesgos y retos involucrados. En los próximos episodios, vamos a investigar las distintas partes del sistema de protección social, y mirarlo como un sistema solar, en la que en el centro están las políticas, legislación, governaza, financiación; luego afuera están los diseños de los programas, questiones sobre elegibilidad y cuestiones relacionadas; y por fin, asunto relativos a la implementación – como registro, entrega de beneficios etc. En el primer episodio de la cartografía de sistemas, usando el enfoque de bloques de construcción, nos sumergimos en el tema de la financiación de los regímenes de protección social para los trabajadores informales. La financiación es uno de los elementos clave del "sistema solar" de protección social, y supone un reto especial en el caso de los trabajadores informales, que en muchos casos no tienen un empleador que comparta la carga de los costes de salud, las pensiones, el cuidado infantil y otras prestaciones laborales. Vamos a conocer a un experimento de financiación alternativa de la protección social y el trabajo decente para los recicladores de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Para ello, hablé con Andrés Cappa. Andrés es docente de la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas de la Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora y de la Universidad de Buenos Aires y ha dirigido una investigación de WIEGO sobre cómo los movimientos de trabajadores utilizaron los marcos de responsabilidad extendida del productor para avanzar en la extensión de la protección social y la mejora de las condiciones laborales en Argentina. *Nuestro tema musical es Focus de AA Aalto (Creative Commons) Referencias Pune Waste Pickers' Innovative Efforts to Fund the Extension of Decent Work and Social Protection, WIEGO Resource Document 33. Available at: https://www.wiego.org/publications/pune-waste-pickers-innovative-efforts-fund-extension-decent-work-and-social-protection Efforts of Argentina's Informal Waste Pickers to Finance Decent Work and Social Protection through Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation, WIEGO Resource Document 34. Available at: https://www.wiego.org/publications/efforts-argentinas-informal-waste-pickers-finance-decent-work-and-social-protection

WIEGO starts a new phase of its podcast. From this episode onwards, we will gain a better understanding of the pieces of the social protection system, in order to better understand the challenges, opportunities and difficulties faced by informal workers. All this by offering the workers' perspective, from a bottom-up approach. At this stage, we will give special attention to the issue of digitalisation, although it will not be the only aspect discussed here. We will look at how technology is being used to improve the inclusion of informal workers, but also understand the risks and challenges involved. In the next episodes, we will investigate the different parts of the social protection system, and look at it as a solar system, in which at the centre are policy, legislation, governance, financing; then outside are programme designs, eligibility and related issues; and finally, implementation issues - such as registration, delivery of benefits etc. In the first episode of the systems' mapping, building blocks approach, we dive into the topic of financing social protection schemes for informal workers. Finance is one of the key elements of the social protection “solar system”, and it is particularly challenging in the case of informal workers, who in many cases don't have an employer to share the burden of the costs of healthcare, pensions, child care and other labour benefits. We will learn more about two experiments of alternative financing of social protection and decent work for waste pickers in Pune, India, and in Buenos Aires, Argentina. First, I talked to Lákshimi Narayan, the founder of the waste picker organization KKPKP. In the second part, you will listen to a conversation with Andrés Cappa. Andrés is a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics at the Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora and at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. They both will tell us more about how workers' movements managed use extended producer responsibility frameworks to leverage advances towards the extension of social protection and better work conditions in their respective countries. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References Pune Waste Pickers' Innovative Efforts to Fund the Extension of Decent Work and Social Protection, WIEGO Resource Document 33. Available at: https://www.wiego.org/publications/pune-waste-pickers-innovative-efforts-fund-extension-decent-work-and-social-protection Efforts of Argentina's Informal Waste Pickers to Finance Decent Work and Social Protection through Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation, WIEGO Resource Document 34. Available at: https://www.wiego.org/publications/efforts-argentinas-informal-waste-pickers-finance-decent-work-and-social-protection

In 2021, WIEGO has launched the project “Challenging the global orthodoxies which undermine Universal Social Protection”. In a nutshell, the project aimed to examine some of the dominant ideas in the field of social protection that were hindering the concrete inclusion of informal workers in these schemes. Exactly one year ago, I invited the coordinator of this project, Florian Juergens-Grant, to talk about what this project was about and its research perspectives for that year. You can check our conversation on episode 26 of our podcast. Now that the project has just been finalized, I invited Florian again to discuss the main findings, to unpack how these dominant ideas operate and to bring some cases where alternatives have emerged to challenge the premises of these ideas. References Tight Tax Net, Loose Safety Net: Taxation and Social Protection in Accra's Informal Sector. WIEGO Working Paper No. 45 https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/file/working-paper-45-taxation-socialprotection.pdf Did Mexico's Seguro Popular Universal Health Coverage Programme Really Reduce Formal Jobs? WIEGO Working Paper No. 46. https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/file/wiego-working-paper-no46.pdf Financing Universal Social Protection: The Relevance and Labour Market Impacts of Social Security Contributions. WIEGO Working Paper No. 47. https://www.wiego.org/publications/financing-universal-social-protection-relevance-and-labour-market-impacts-social Efforts of Argentina's Informal Waste Pickers to Finance Decent Work and Social Protection through Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation. WIEGO Resource Document No. 34. https://www.wiego.org/publications/efforts-argentinas-informal-waste-pickers-finance-decent-work-and-social-protection Pune Waste Pickers' Innovative Efforts to Fund the Extension of Decent Work and Social Protection. WIEGO Resource Document No. 33. https://www.wiego.org/publications/pune-waste-pickers-innovative-efforts-fund-extension-decent-work-and-social-protection Webinar: Is social protection to blame for informality? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1OlNQkpc2c

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the world in many ways. People all around the globe had to adapt to this new reality, and it was no different for informal workers leaders that struggle to improve their organizational strength. Capacity building, one of the key aspects to increase the voice and visibility of workers, also had to be done differently. Traditional, in person events, such as exchanges, field visits or in person training sessions had to be pushed back to give room to this virtual learning environment. And new tools were created to enable better experiences, and bring people closer, despite of the social distancing. In this context, StreetNet International and WIEGO rolled-out, last year, a 7 week-pilot training on social protection with informal workers leaders from 11 anglophone and francophone African countries. The course enabled these workers to increase their grasp on social protection issues to keep improving their advocacy efforts on the ground, while there were still travel restrictions in place. To talk about the potential and challenges of online training for informal workers – and to tell us more about this online course on social protection for informal workers – we invited three guests. First, you will listen to our talk with Sandra van Niekerk. Sandra is an Independent Education Management Professional and she worked closely with StreetNet and WIEGO in the development of the online materials for both the English and French courses. In the second part, I talked to Maira Vannuchi. Maira is StreetNet organizer for the Americas and responsible for the workers education strategy of StreetNet. And finally, I have talked to Venance Majula. Venance is an informal worker and Media and Communication officer at TUICO, the Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers, and he was one of the participants of the course. *** References Report: Enabling Social Protection within the Informal Economy: Lessons from Worker-led Schemes in Nigeria, Uganda and Togo – by StreetNet and WIEGO https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/file/Enabling%20Social%20Protection%20within%20the%20Informal%20Economy%20for%20web_0.pdf VIDEO: Learning about State-sponsored social protection in Kenya https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOpBIERW3Fg Blog: Worker's Story: Sizakele Ncube's new sewing machine brings both improved income and new worries, by Annie Devenish https://www.wiego.org/blog/worker%E2%80%99s-story-sizakele-ncube%E2%80%99s-new-sewing-machine-brings-both-improved-income-and-new-worries

In India, the government has set a huge undertaking: to register 380 million informal workers on a new database, so that it could allow the delivery of social security payments. This database, called e-Shram, was launched in August 2021. But, of course, this initiative was followed by a range of doubts, problems and barriers that has been hindering the implementation of this social registry system. To help us better understand the e-Shram – the promises, shortcomings, challenges, and most importantly, the Indian context – we invited Avi Majithia. Avi is WIEGO's Delhi Focal City coordinator and holds a master's degree in Regulatory Governance from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (in Mumbai, India), and works closely with informal worker's organizations in Delhi. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References e-Shram official website: https://eshram.gov.in/ Article 14: "The Incomplete Project Of E-Shram, India's Database Of Unorganised Workers" https://www.article-14.com/post/the-incomplete-project-of-e-shram-india-s-database-of-unorganised-workers-620dc42806e13 Scroll.In: "e-Shram: All you need to know about India's first centralised database for unorganised workers" https://scroll.in/article/1004199/e-shram-all-you-need-to-know-about-indias-first-centralised-database-for-unorganised-workers India Spend: "No Documents, No Benefits: How India's Invisible Workforce Is Left To Fend For Itself" https://www.indiaspend.com/no-documents-no-benefits-how-indias-invisible-workforce-is-left-to-fend-for-itself/ The New Leam: "Lack of Documents and Registration Deprive India's Migrant Class of State Offered Benefits & Welfare Schemes" https://www.thenewleam.com/2020/12/lack-of-documents-and-registration-deprive-indias-migrant-class-of-state-offered-benefits-welfare-schemes/ Hindustan Times: "Documenting the story of India's migrant distress" https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/documenting-the-story-of-india-s-migrant-distress/story-sVC8sCHFetXYBPKLa1OhZM.html WIEGO Delhi Focal City webpage: https://www.wiego.org/delhi

Social and Solidarity Economy has got into a very high place in the international agenda. This year, SSE, as it is called, was the theme of the International Labour Conference, in which workers representatives, government officials and employers representatives have gathered to discuss this alternative form of organizing production, distribution and consumption. One of the main outcomes of the conference was that the a proposed definition of the social and solidarity economy was approved. To understand the importance of this landmark and to learn in which ways it can contribute to the discussion of expanding social protection for informal workers, we invited two guests: Jahnvi Dave and Santiago Fischer. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References WIEGO page on the ILC 2022: https://www.wiego.org/events/ILO2022 Homenet and WIEGO Global position paper: https://www.wiego.org/resources/ilc-110th-session-global-position-paper Read the ILO's definition of the Social and Solidarity Economy https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/cooperatives/sse/WCMS_849066/lang--en/index.htm

In the episode 20 of our podcast, we discussed the first round of the WIEGO longitudinal survey, conducted in 2020. In this special episode, we will discuss the report of the second round of this global survey. In this stage, 11 cities around the globe were part of the research that explored how the fallout of the pandemic affected informal workers' income, working hours, access to healthcare, but also their coping strategies, demands and the government responses in the second year of the pandemic. To discuss some of the main findings of the research, we invited Ana Carolina Ogando and Mike Rogan. Ana Carolina is Wiego's Research Associate and holds a PhD in Political Science. Mike is an Associate Professor in Economics and Economic History at Rhodes University in South Africa and he is a researcher at WIEGO. In this special episode, we also played some clips from workers testimonies taken from two webinars of the global survey project. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) *** References COVID-19 Crisis and the Informal Economy Study – Round 2 report: COVID-19 Crisis and the Informal Economy Study page: https://www.wiego.org/covid-19-crisis-and-informal-economy-study-0 Webinar: There is No Recovery without Informal Workers: Towards a Better Deal for the Global Working Poor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g1EXHeAfjU Webinar: There is No Recovery Without Informal Workers: The View from 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIQqLBKYyjU&list=PLOdX1pDW0yXI3R0X-pTRdtK5_zeS0XcXF&index=11

For decades, domestic workers have struggled to be recognized and to enjoy the same rights as other workers – including social protection rights. There has been significant progress over the past few years, as the workers' movement pressured in national and international forums to have labour and social protection rights enshrined in their legal system. The ILO Convention-189 and the ratification by 35 countries, is one example of such achievements. However, there is still a lot to be done in order to formally include domestic workers into social protection systems. But also, there are important steps to be taken in order to ensure that these workers are effectively enjoying their rights, even where they are legally entitled to them. In order to better understand the concepts, shortcomings, challenges and advances regarding the inclusion of domestic workers in social protection schemes I talked to Maya Stern-Plaza. Maya is the Social Protection Standards and Legal Expert of the Social Protection Department of the International Labour Organization. In addition to supporting the ratification and application of international social security standards she is also the Department's focal point for domestic workers. She is the main author of the report “Making the right to social security a reality for domestic workers: A global review of policy trends, statistics and extension strategies”, which is being launched today, June 16th, the International Domestic Workers' Day. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) ---- References ILO report “Making the right to social security a reality for domestic workers: A global review of policy trends, statistics and extension strategies” https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/WCMS_848280/lang--en/index.htm “Ten Years Since Winning C189: Domestic Workers Become an Unstoppable Movement”, by IDWF and WIEGO https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/file/C189%20Ten%20Years%20Since%20Winning%20C189%20for%20web_0.pdf "Making C189 Real": The Domestic Workers Project https://www.wiego.org/making-c189-real-domestic-workers-project Blog: What's Changed for Domestic Workers since C189? Our Legal Team Unpacks the Progress, by Pamhidzai Bamu https://www.wiego.org/blog/what%E2%80%99s-changed-domestic-workers-c189-our-legal-team-unpacks-progress

Over the last few years, universal social protection and the government responses to the Covid-19 crisis has generated important debates in the field of social protection. The Universal Social Protection 2030 framework, for instance, has gained support from a variety of key social protection stakeholders, including national governments, the ILO, IMF, World Bank, and other United Nations agencies, as well as global civil society organizations. However, certain key principles and actions remain contested in practice at both the level of global financial institutions and within the roll-out of schemes at national level – which highlighted the importance of the role of the ideas. Much of the contestation over the desirable nature and role of social protection has its roots in implicit assumptions underpinned by neo-classical economic theory, resulting in powerful policy ideas which counteract the key principles of Universal Social Protection 2030, and ultimately undermine the extension of fair, equitable and sustainable provision of social protection to informal workers. In order to unpack, shed light into these assumptions and help us understand these dominant ideas and the actors behind it, we invited Florian Jurgens-Grant. Florian is leads, at WIEGO, the project “Challenging the global orthodoxies which undermine Universal Social Protection”. Before joining WIEGO, he worked on social protection for the ILO and HelpAge International. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References Blog: Are Unfounded Assumptions About the Informal Economy Undermining Universal Social Protection?, by Florian Jurgens-Grant https://www.wiego.org/blog/are-unfounded-assumptions-about-informal-economy-undermining-universal-social-protection Blog: World Bank's Push for Individual Savings Provides Little Protection for Crisis-hit Workers, by Florian Jurgens-Grant https://www.wiego.org/blog/world-banks-push-individual-savings-provides-little-protection-crisis-hit-workers Op-Ed: The World Bank and IMF are using flawed logic in their quest to do away with the informal sector, by Mike Rogan, Max Gallien and Vanessa van den Boogaard https://theconversation.com/the-world-bank-and-imf-are-using-flawed-logic-in-their-quest-to-do-away-with-the-informal-sector-170325

The last two years have brought a huge challenge to social protection systems around the world as the pandemic hit and shed light to the need of strengthening social insurance policies to protect workers against shocks that affected their livelihoods. We look at the case of South Africa's Unemployment Insurance Fund (or UIF) and Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (better known as TERS) to analyze how these policies were implemented to reach domestic workers, what went wrong, what went right, the challenges ahead and what learnings this might bring to help us think about new insurance schemes that can protect informal workers. To help us understand and navigate the UIF-TERS case we invited two guests. First, I talked to Amy Takié, Co-Founder at Izwi Domestic Workers Alliance, a network of domestic workers in Johannesburg, where Amy advises domestic workers on their labour rights, supports them in accessing justice and on their advocacy efforts. The second guest is Myrtle Witbooi, general secretary of the South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU) and president of the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF). Myrtle will provide us with an account from the domestic workers' perspective. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) *** References > Joint Statement: Impact of COVID19 on millions who work informally in South Africa - https://www.wiego.org/resources/joint-statement-impact-covid19-millions-who-work-informally-south-africa > WIEGO - Informal Work in South Africa and COVID-19: Gendered Impacts and Priority Interventions - https://www.wiego.org/publications/informal-work-south-africa-and-covid-19-gendered-impacts-and-priority-interventions > Izwi - Domestic workers pay a heavy price for employers' non-compliance with labour law - https://www.izwi.org.za/post/domestic-workers-pay-a-heavy-price-for-employers-noncompliance-with-labour-law > Op-ed - Domestic workers hung out to dry during lockdown, by Amy Tekié https://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/opinion/2020-05-01-domestic-workers-hung-out-to-dry-during-lockdown/

For the past two years, the world has been facing one of the biggest challenges of our lifetime, with the Covid-19 crisis. In this last episode of the year, we invited again Laura Alfers, the Social Protection programme coordinator at WIEGO, and Rachel Moussié, deputy coordinator of the Social Protection programme and head of the Child Care initiative, also here at WIEGO, to discuss the way in which the pandemic has exposed blind spots in social protection systems and reinforced women informal workers' exclusion. In this talk, they explained the impact of the pandemic in their work and in the field of social protection globally. They also highlighted how WIEGO and workers' organizations in the informal economy are engaging with social protection and developing and deepening alliances with labour movements. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References: Wiego Page on COVID-19 Crisis and the Informal Economy Study: https://www.wiego.org/covid-19-crisis-and-informal-economy-study-0 Blog: Are unfounded assumptions about the informal economy undermining universal social protection?, by Florian Juergens https://www.wiego.org/blog/are-unfounded-assumptions-about-informal-economy-undermining-universal-social-protection For Informal Workers: COVID-19 Crisis Resources https://www.wiego.org/informal-workers-covid-19-crisis-resources Statement: Workers take fight for social protection to ILC, by Global Alliance of Waste Pickers, HomeNet International, IDWF, StreetNet International, WIEGO and SEWA https://www.wiego.org/publications/workers-take-fight-social-protection-ilc

La pandemia ha puesto de manifiesto la importancia crucial de la prestación de servicios de cuidado infantil. En este episodio, nos fijamos en cómo la Unión de Trabajadores de la Economía Popular (UTEP), una central sindical de trabajadores informales de Argentina, ha apoyado a las cooperativas de cuidado infantil para que presten estos servicios a los hijos de los trabajadores informales. Para entender cómo funcionan estos servicios comunitarios de cuidado de niños en Argentina, cómo se han visto afectados por la pandemia y los retos futuros, invitamos a Paola Caviedes. Paola es una recicladora del Movimiento de los Trabajadores Excluidos, movimiento afiliado a UTEP, y es una de las coordinadoras de la iniciativa de cooperativas de guarderías de la UTEP. REFERENCIAS Women Informal Traders and Child Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from Accra, Durban and Nakuru https://www.wiego.org/publications/women-informal-traders-and-child-care-during-covid-19-pandemic-findings-accra-durban Three ways to contain COVID-19's impact on informal women workers https://www.wiego.org/publications/three-ways-contain-covid-19s-impact-informal-women-workers *Nuestro tema musical es Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

The pandemic has highlighted the crucial importance of child care provision. In this episode, we look at how the Unión de Trabajadores de la Economía Popular (UTEP), an informal workers central union in Argentina, has supported child care cooperatives to provide these services for informal workers' children. To understand how these community child care centres work in Argentina, how they have been affected by the pandemic and the challenges ahead we invited Carolina Palacio. Carolina is an organizer from the Argentinian Federation of Waste Pickers, affiliated to UTEP, and also she coordinates the Buenos Aires Costal City project at WIEGO. REFERENCES Women Informal Traders and Child Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from Accra, Durban and Nakuru https://www.wiego.org/publications/women-informal-traders-and-child-care-during-covid-19-pandemic-findings-accra-durban Three ways to contain COVID-19's impact on informal women workers https://www.wiego.org/publications/three-ways-contain-covid-19s-impact-informal-women-workers *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

After two weeks of intense debates that took place from June 3rd to June 19th, the first segment of the 109th session of the International Labour Conference – ILC – is now over. In this episode, we talked to worker leaders who attended the ILC to share their impressions and learnings from the event that had Social Protection on the forefront of the debates. Featuring: Oksana Aboud, international Coordinator of StreetNet International Jeannette Nyiramasengesho, SNI Council Member and SYTRIECI Jacquelina Flores, FACCyR /UTEP Fish Ip, Asia regional coordinator from International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) Suntaree Saeng-Ging, International Coordinator of HomeNet South East Asia Carmen Britez, Vice president of the International Domestic Workers Federation *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

In this episode, we dive into the social aspects of Covid-19 vaccination, and try to understand its impact on informal workers. How are they affected by the policy choices? What are the barriers to access? And what does it have to do with the issue of economic justice? These and other questions were discussed in this talk with with Christy Braham. Christy is WIEGO’s Worker’s Health coordinator, she is also a founder member of the African Network on Migration and Health and a PhD candidate in public health at the University of Sheffield. she has been working at WIEGO in a research project about access to vaccination to informal workers around the world. --- REFERENCES -> Blog: Access to vaccination and economic justice, by Christy Braham https://www.wiego.org/blog/access-vaccination-and-economic-justice -> Policy Insights: Essential, but Unprotected: How Have Informal Workers Navigated the Health Risks of the Pandemic?, by Christy Braham https://www.wiego.org/resources/essential-unprotected-how-have-informal-workers-navigated-health-risks-pandemic *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

In this episode, we explore how Covid-19 crisis affected informal workers care responsibilities and to which extent the government responses addressed informal workers’ needs in terms of income and food security, throughout 2020. WIEGO conducted a longitudinal survey with informal workers in 12 cities around the world, during the second and third quarters of 2020, and now the first findings are starting to be released. We invited two guests to discuss some of the results related to social protection. Mike Rogan is an Associate Professor in Economics and Economic History at Rhodes University in South Africa and a researcher at WIEGO. He co-authored a policy paper with Ana Carolina Ogando and Rachel Moussié about the Impact of COVID-19 on Informal Workers’ Care Responsibilities, Paid Work and Earnings. The other guest is Laura Alfers, who also was part of the survey research team. Laura is the director of the Social Protection Programme at WIEGO and she co-authored a paper with Ghida Ismail and Marcela Valdivia about food and cash relief policies during the pandemic. References WIEGO Page on the COVID-19 Crisis and the Informal Economy Study https://www.wiego.org/COVID-19-Crisis-and-the-Informal-Economy-Study The Triple Crisis: Impact of COVID-19 on Informal Workers’ Care Responsibilities, Paid Work and Earnings, by Ana Carolina Ogando, Michael Rogan, Rachel Moussié https://www.wiego.org/resources/triple-crisis-impact-covid-19-informal-workers-care-responsibilities-paid-work-and Informal Workers and the Social Protection Response to COVID-19: Who got relief? How? And did it make a difference?, by Laura Alfers, Ghida Ismail, Marcela Valdivia https://www.wiego.org/publications/informal-workers-and-social-protection-response-covid-19-policy-implications-2 *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

In the second episode of the mini-series, the Informal Economy Podcast: social protection joins the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence against women”. We bring a series in two parts to talk about how gender-based violence impacts informal women workers and what they have been doing to face this important challenge, especially in a year marked by the Covid-19 global pandemic. Last week, we brought you the first part of this series, where we talked to Sonia George. Now, in the last part of the series, we talked to Oksana Abboud. Oksana is the international coordinator of StreetNet International, a global alliance of street-vendors that supports national associations and unions of street vendors, market vendors and hawkers. References 16 Days website https://16dayscampaign.org/ WIEGO page on the 16 Days campaign https://www.wiego.org/16DaysCampaign ILO Convention 190 https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C190 16 Days advocacy guide https://16dayscampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OFFICIAL-CWGL-2020-16-Days-Campaign-Advocacy-Guide.pdf StreetNet Position document (pre-C190 adoptiton) http://streetnet.org.za/2019/06/05/streetnet-position-on-the-ending-violence-and-harassment-in-the-world-of-work/#more-11352 190 process - On the ILO Plenary: - Lorraine Sibanda, StreetNet President: https://ilo.cetc.stream/2019/06/14/ms-sibanda-representative-streetnet-international/ - Sonia George, SEWA: https://ilo.cetc.stream/2019/06/14/ms-george-representative-women-in-informal-employment-globalizing-and-organizing/

In this episode, the Informal Economy Podcast: social protection joins the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence against women”. In this special episode, we will bring a series in two parts to talk about how gender-based violence impacts informal women workers and what they have been doing to face this important challenge, especially in a year marked by the Covid-19 global pandemic. This week, we bring you the first part of the show, featuring Sonia George. Sonia is the general secretary of SEWA in the Indian state of Kerela. SEWA stands for Self Employed Women’s Association, and an informal workers union in India. The second part of this episode is scheduled for next week. We will bring our talk with the international coordinator of StreetNet International, Oksana Abboud. StreetNet International is a global alliance of street-vendors that supports national associations and unions of street vendors, market vendors and hawkers. References 16 Days website https://16dayscampaign.org/ WIEGO page on the 16 Days campaign https://www.wiego.org/16DaysCampaign ILO Convention 190 https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C190 16 Days advocacy guide https://16dayscampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OFFICIAL-CWGL-2020-16-Days-Campaign-Advocacy-Guide.pdf StreetNet Position document (pre-C190 adoptiton) http://streetnet.org.za/2019/06/05/streetnet-position-on-the-ending-violence-and-harassment-in-the-world-of-work/#more-11352 190 process - On the ILO Plenary: - Lorraine Sibanda, StreetNet President: https://ilo.cetc.stream/2019/06/14/ms-sibanda-representative-streetnet-international/ - Sonia George, SEWA: https://ilo.cetc.stream/2019/06/14/ms-george-representative-women-in-informal-employment-globalizing-and-organizing/

In this episode, we explore the issue of the social protection needs for older informal workers. In the context of a growing aging population also in the developing world, the debates around schemes to guarantee access to these informal workers to healthcare and to income security has become increasingly important. To help us understand more about the fundamental concepts, debates and trends around the social protection for older informal workers, in particular in SouthEast Asia, we invited Aura Sevilla. Aura is a specialist and an advocate on issues related to dignifying aging policies in SouthEast Asia and in the Phillipines, in particular, where she is based. She's currently an affiliated at WIEGO as the Programme Consultant in Southeast Asia and Older Workers. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) **** References WIEGO page on Income Security for Older Workers https://www.wiego.org/income-security-older-workers Conference Presentation by Francie Lund https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/Francie%20Lund%20Growing%20Older%20in%20the%20Changing%20World%20of%20Work.pdf ILO Recommendation 202 (Social Protection Floors) https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:R202

In this month, we will dive into the topic of universal basic income, or UBI. In South Africa, the government has recently announced the intention of implementing this policy in the country, which was regarded as a very important step. To help us understand more about universal basic income, its debates and how it is taking in the South African context, we invited Isobel Frye. Isobel is the director of the Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute, she is also a commissioner at National Minimum Wage Commission, and she is a civil society representative at the South Africa’s National Development Economic Council, a body responsible for the introduction of economic policies, where this debate is also taking place. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References CDEV Webinar: Cash Transfers for COVID-19 in Low- and Middle-Income Countries https://www.cgdev.org/event/online-event-cash-transfers-covid-19-low-and-middle-income-countries WIEGO Blog: Cities are undermining the potential of universal cash grants to support women’s economic empowerment and reduce poverty, https://www.wiego.org/blog/cities-are-undermining-potential-universal-cash-grants-support-women%E2%80%99s-economic-empowerment-and Book: Exploring Universal Basic Income : A Guide to Navigating Concepts, Evidence, and Practices (World Bank) https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/32677 Article: Universal Basic Income: A Dynamic Assessment (National Bureau Of Economic Research, NBER) https://www.nber.org/papers/w27351.pdf Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute website: https://spii.org.za/

In this month, we go back to the ground to understand how the livelihoods of informal workers are being affected in two of the countries in Latin America most hit in the region by the Covid-19 crisis: Mexico and Peru. We invited two guests who are working closely with informal workers. From Mexico, Tania Espinoza, Mexico City Focal City Coordinator at WIEGO. And from Peru, we bring Carmen Roca, Lima Focal City Coordinator, also from WIEGO. They will analyse the main challenges on the implementation of the emergency cash-grant policies to protect informal workers income, the problems of government responses and some of the possible solutions to address these issues. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) References Blog: How are Peru’s street vendors facing COVID-19? https://www.wiego.org/blog/how-are-perus-street-vendors-facing-covid-19 Webinar presentation: Social Protection for the working poor COVID context Peru https://socialprotection.org/sites/default/files/publications_files/Webinar%20Presentation%2021%2004%202020.pdf Los Rifados de la Basura Campaign https://www.wiego.org/los-rifados-de-la-basura-campaign Vídeo: Mexico City's Sanitation Workers: meet María del Carmen Loza https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ksNq8GSLM&feature=youtu.be

En este mes, volvemos al terreno para comprender cómo se están afectando los medios de vida de los trabajadores del sector informal en dos de los países de América Latina más afectados en la región por la crisis de Covid-19: México y Perú. Invitamos a dos especialistas que están trabajando estrechamente con los trabajadores informales. De México, Tania Espinoza, Coordinadora de la Ciudad Focal de la Ciudad de México en WIEGO. Y de Perú, traemos a Carmen Roca, Coordinadora de la Ciudad Focal de Lima, también de WIEGO. Ellas analizaran los principales desafíos en la aplicación de las políticas de los bonos de emergencia para proteger los ingresos de los trabajadores informales, los problemas de las respuestas del gobierno y algunas de las posibles soluciones para abordar estos temas. *Nuestro tema musical es Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) Referencias Blog: ¿Cómo enfrentan los comerciantes en vía pública al COVID-19? https://www.wiego.org/blog/como-enfrentan-los-comerciantes-en-publica-al-covid-19 CDMX: la campaña: “Los Rifados de la Basura” http://espanol.wiego.org/cdmx-la-campana-los-rifados-de-la-basura/ Webinar presentation: Social Protection for the working poor COVID context Peru https://socialprotection.org/sites/default/files/publications_files/Webinar%20Presentation%2021%2004%202020.pdf Vídeo: Mexico City's Sanitation Workers: meet María del Carmen Loza https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ksNq8GSLM&feature=youtu.be

And in this episode, we bring you the third and last part of the especial mini-series on social protection for informal workers in the context of the Covid-19 global pandemic. We will look more closely on how governments around the world are responding to the global crisis in order to address to the urgent social protection needs of vulnerable people, in particular, informal workers. To help us understand the main challenges and concrete issues policy makers are facing as the first government responses are being implemented, we invited Valentina Barca. Valentina is an independent consultant, and she is a specialist in social protection delivery systems. She is part of a multi-disciplinary research team, called SPACE, that is working to provide policy analysis to the responses on social protection during this global pandemic, in order to support countries to think about how to better address to the current crisis. Valentina analyses issues related to the targeting of informal workers, patterns in government responses, implementation problems that emerge; why some countries are responding quicker and more effectively than others, and which are the challenges and lessons to reach informal workers, that we can take from the policies that are being implemented. *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons) REFERENCES WIEGO response tracking https://www.wiego.org/government-responses-covid-19-crisis Rapid Assessment World Bank Tracking: Global social protection Covid-response paper https://www.ugogentilini.net/?p=920 OECD Blog: The COVID-19 crisis: income support to informal workers is necessary and possible, by Laura Alfers https://oecd-development-matters.org/2020/04/22/the-covid-19-crisis-income-support-to-informal-workers-is-necessary-and-possible/ OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/supporting-livelihoods-during-the-covid-19-crisis-closing-the-gaps-in-safety-nets-17cbb92d/

In this second episode of the mini-series, we will hear the concrete impact on the lives of informal workers in cities around the world, with brief updates from the ground from WIEGO team members who work closely with informal workers. We also bring the account from two workers leaders themselves, on how the lockdown is affecting their lives and those of their comrades. I talked to 11 people from 9 cities around the world. From Delhi, India, to Portland, United States, passing through Dakar, Johannesburg, Accra, Belo Horizonte, Bogota, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. We will hear how local and national governments are responding to the crisis to protect informal workers health and livelihoods, as the cities try to face a global crisis. We will learn how workers are organizing to pressure authorities, but also how some of them are taking direct action to support vulnerable workers through these difficult times. Guests -Tania Espinoza – Mexico City Focal City project coordinator -Carolina Palacio – Buenos Aires Costal City project coordinator -Federico Parra – Bogotá, regional coordinator -Taylor Cass Talbott – Portland, Project officer -Sonia Dias – Belo Horizonte, waste specialist -Ana Carolina Ogando – Belo Horizonte, research associate -Lulama Mali – Johannesburg, South Africa Informal Traders Organization -Dorcas Ansah, Accra Focal City project coordinator -Anass, Accra, market trader -Shalini Sinha, Delhi Focal City project coordinator -Adama, Dakar Focal City project coordinator *COVID-19 and Informal Workers - Advocacy, Opinion & Action https://www.wiego.org/covid-19-and-informal-workers-advocacy-opinion-action *Informal Workers Campaigns https://www.wiego.org/support-informal-workers-campaigns *Informal worker demands during COVID-19 crisis https://www.wiego.org/informal-worker-demands-during-covid-19-crisis *Government responses to COVID-19 Crisis https://www.wiego.org/government-responses-covid-19-crisis *Blog: How cities can support informal workers: COVID-19 and beyond, by Jenna Harvey https://www.wiego.org/blog/how-cities-can-support-informal-workers-covid-19-and-beyond *Blog: Informal workers on the frontlines of COVID-19: Providing critical services without adequate protections and pay, by Jenna Harvey https://www.wiego.org/blog/informal-workers-frontlines-covid-19-providing-critical-services-without-adequate-protections * WIEGO Focal Cities page https://www.wiego.org/our-work-impact/focal-cities *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

In this month, we start a especial mini-series on social protection for informal workers in the context of the Covid-19 global pandemic. This global health crisis has brought many countries, cities and states to a halt, as authorities try to slow down the spread and “flatten the curve”.This unprecedented lockdown has also deep social and economic consequences, and impact the lives of billions of workers. In this opening episode of the series, we invite Sally Roever to discuss how this health and economic crisis impacts informal workers, the policy responses and the challenges governments will have to face in order to protect informal workers’ health and livelihoods. Sally Roever is WIEGO’s International Coordinator. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of California at Berkeley, and she has studied for 20 years the ways in which laws, policies and politics shape informal work and informal workers' organizations. In this talk, Sally analyses the immediate responses to the crisis, such as cash grants, and projects the challenges that might lie ahead for governments and workers. On the next episodes, we will explore more in-depth other issues that revolve around protection of informal workers, in terms of healthcare provision and work and income security for informal workers, as the global pandemic crisis unfolds. References WIEGO Covid-19 crisis page - https://www.wiego.org/covid19crisis Global Rec (waste-pickers) Covid-19 page: https://globalrec.org/covid19/ WIEGO Blog: Pandemic: Informal workers urgently need income replacement — and more protections https://www.wiego.org/blog/pandemic-informal-workers-urgently-need-income-replacement-and-more-protections StreetNet International (street vendors) statement http://streetnet.org.za/2020/03/24/streetnet-international-statement-in-response-to-covid-19/ StreetNet International Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StreetNet-175851405831761/ IDWF (domestic workers)statement https://idwfed.org/en/updates/global-idwf-statement-on-protecting-domestic-workers-rights-and-fighting-the-coronavirus-pandemic IDWF Facebook facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IDWFED/ I

In this International Women’s Day episode we will discuss a very important topic for women informal workers: child care. As women are most often the primary responsible for looking after their children, without quality child care services, they either have to forgo paid work or are less productive because they have watch their children while trying to work. Child care is vital, especially in the poorest households, as the earnings of women informal workers often represent a large share of one family’s income. In order to talk in more detail about child care policies for informal workers, we invite two especial guests this month. Our first guest is Laura Addati. Laura is a Policy Specialist on Women’s Economic Empowerment at the ILO Office for the United Nations in New York. She has coordinated policy work on care work, maternity protection and work-family policies and has co-authored a number of ILO publications on these topics. Our second guest, returning to the podcast is Rachel Moussié. Rachel is Deputy Director of the Social Protection programme at WIEGO, where she also researches child care policies for informal workers. Laura and Rachel are the co-authors of three policy briefs published by the ILO on child care policies for informal workers. The briefs are being launched this week. In this episode, we discussed with them more in-depth their third brief, on models of child care provision for informal workers. Resources: Quality childcare services for workers in the informal economy ILO-WIEGO Child Care Policy Brief nº1 https://www.wiego.org/publications/quality-childcare-services-workers-informal-economy Labour and human rights frameworks promoting childcare for all workers. ILO-WIEGO Child Care Policy Brief nº2 https://www.wiego.org/publications/labour-and-human-rights-frameworks-promoting-childcare-all-workers Extending childcare services to workers in the informal economy: Policy lessons from country experiences ILO-WIEGO Child Care Policy Brief nº3 https://www.wiego.org/publications/extending-childcare-services-workers-informal-economy-policy-lessons-country Blog: Three new ways of at looking at the urgent need for quality childcare https://www.wiego.org/blog/three-new-ways-looking-urgent-need-quality-childcare Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw64-2020 Care work and care jobs report: https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_633135/lang--en/index.htm ILO World Social Protection Report (2017-2019): https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_604882.pdf ILO Policy Guidelines on the promotion of decent work for early childhood education personnel: https://www.ilo.org/sector/Resources/codes-of-practice-and-guidelines/WCMS_236528/lang--en/index.htm ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/mission-and-objectives/centenary-declaration/lang--en/index.htm Domestic Workers Convention (C189): https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C189 Maternity Protection Convention (C183): https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO:12100:P12100_INSTRUMENT_ID:312328:NO 100 Years of Maternity Protection https://www.ilo.org/gender/Events/WCMS_715815/lang--en/index.htm Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation (R204): https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO:12100:P12100_INSTRUMENT_ID:3243110:NO Social Protection Floors Recommendation(R202): https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO:12100:P12100_INSTRUMENT_ID:3065524:NO *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

In the first episode of the year we will discuss numbers! Statistics are a powerful tool to shed light on the informal economy, and to make informal workers visible in policy arenas. In order to help us understand better the linkages between social protection and statistics, the challenges, limitations and the most recent research on the field we invite two special guests: Françoise Carré and Francie Lund. Françoise is the WIEGO’s Statistics Programme Director, and Research Director at the Center for Social Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Françoise conducts research on work transformation and non-standard work in the USA and internationally. Francie is WIEGO Senior Advisor. She is also a Senior Research Associate in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. References ILO Women and Men in the Informal Economy Report 3rd edition (2018) https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_626831/lang--en/index.htm ILO Women and Men in the Informal Economy Report 2nd edition (2013) https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---stat/documents/publication/wcms_234413.pdf ILO Women and Men in the Informal Economy Report 2nd edition (2002) https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/migrated/publications/files/ILO-Women-Men-Informal-2002.pdf WIEGO-ILO Statistical Report https://www.wiego.org/ilo-wiego-statistical-reports Chains of Production, Ladders of Protection: Social Protection for Workers in the Informal Economy https://www.wiego.org/publications/chains-production-ladders-protection-social-protection-workers-informal-economy WIEGO page on the Statistics programme https://www.wiego.org/our-work-impact/core-programmes/statistics *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

In this episode, we invited Christina Behrendt. Christina, head of the Social Policy Unit at the ILO, to talk about the relations between the Future of Work and the challenges to extend social protection to the so-called “missing middle”, the informal economy workers. We discussed how policies to provide social protection to informal workers can help the debate around forms of work associated to the so-called gig economy, and whether universal basic income might offer an alternative to this configuration of work. - ILO Global Social Protection Week Page: https://www.ilo.org/secsoc/information-resources/meetings-and-events/WCMS_715348/lang--en/index.htm - Global Social Protection Week Agenda https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---soc_sec/documents/publication/wcms_717366.pdf WIEGO’s page on the Global Social Protection Week: https://www.wiego.org/events/global-social-protection-week - WIEGO Briefing Note: “Extending Social Protection to Informal Workers” http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/Social%20Protection%20Informal%20Workers%20for%20web_0.pdf - WIEGO Working Paper No 37: “Informal Workers & The Future of Work: A Defence of Work-Related Social Protection” , by Laura Alfers, Francie Lund and Rachel Moussié http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/Alfers_Informal_Workers_Social_Protection_WIEGO_WP37.pdf - WIEGO position statement: “A Future of Work for All: WIEGO’s Position on the ILO Centenary” http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/WIEGO%20Position%20on%20ILO%20Centenary%202019_06June.pdf - Blog: Informal workers and taxes: What "tax justice" looks like from below, by Mike Rogan https://www.wiego.org/blog/informal-workers-and-taxes-what-tax-justice-looks-below - Journal article: Ensuring universal social protection for the future of work by Christina Behrendt https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1024258919857031?af=R&ai=1gvoi&mi=3ricys - Innovative approaches for ensuring universal social protection for the future of work, by Christina Behrendt and Quynh Anh Nguyen https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---cabinet/documents/publication/wcms_629864.pdf - ILO Social Protection Report (2017-2019): Universal social protection to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_604882.pdf - World Bank: Universal health coverage and the challenge of informal employment : lessons from developing countries, by Ricardo Bitran http://www.wiego.org/publications/universal-health-coverage-and-challenge-informal-employment-lessons-developing-countrie - ILO Recommendation 202: Social Protection Floors https://www.ilo.org/secsoc/areas-of-work/legal-advice/WCMS_205341/lang--en/index.htm - ILO Recommendation 204: The Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy https://www.ilo.org/ilc/ILCSessions/previous-sessions/104/texts-adopted/WCMS_377774/lang--en/index.htm *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

Dans cet épisode, nous vous apportons un entretien avec Komi Kessouagni. Komi est le Coordinateur du Point Focal Régional StreetNet pour l'Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre. On a parlé sur les défis des travailleurs informels au Togo pour avoir l’accès à la protection social, aussi bien comme les initiatives des travailleurs eux-mêmes, pour offrir des services de soins à ceux qui ne sont pas couvert par l’état, à travers de la création de mutuelles de santé géré par les travailleurs. Note d’information de WIEGO : Extension de la protection sociale aux travailleurs et travailleuses de l’informel https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/migrated/publications/files/Social%2520Protection%2520Informal%2520Workers%2520French%2520for%2520web.pdf Notre musique thématique est Focus, de A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons)

In this episode, we bring you an interview with Liliane Napoe, of the Danish Trade Union Development Agency. Liliane is the International Adviser and Head of the West African sub-regional office, based in Lomé, where she has been supporting informal workers in their effort to expand social protection and in their attempt to form a coalition to push for social rights for informal workers. We talked about the struggle of informal workers in Togo to have access to social protection, the latest development in the country and the perspectives ahead for this informal workers coalition that is forming around the demand for social protection provision. WIEGO Briefing note: Extending Social Protection to Informal Workers https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/migrated/publications/files/Social%2520Protection%2520Informal%2520Workers%2520for%2520web_0.pdf Our theme music is Focus, from A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons)

In this month, WIEGO’s Social Protection programme director, Laura Alfers, was in Thailand for the Association of South East Asian Nations People’s Forum, or ASEAN People’s Forum for short, where civil society organizations representatives have gathered, in Bangkok, to prepare for the ASEAN Summit that will happen from 31st of October to November 4th also in Thailand. The regional network of home-based workers, HomeNet South East Asia hosted an event at the People's Forum on their new flagship issue - Universal Health Coverage for Informal Workers. Laura was at that ASEAN People’s forum event, where she has met several of HomeNet South East Asia delegates, and recorded an interview with Suntaree Saeng-Ging for this special episode of our show. Suntaree Saeng-Ging is the Regional Coordinator of HomeNet South East Asia. In this talk with Laura Alfers, she explains how the grass-roots work of HomeNet has been carried out and will provide an overview of the universal health coverage policies in South East Asia. They also discuss some of the main challenges and policies advances in the region to include informal workers on healthcare provision schemes References ASEAN Summit page https://www.asean2019.go.th/en/meeting/35th-asean-summit-and-related-summits/ ASEAN People’s forum page https://www.forum-asia.org/?p=29664 ASEAN People’s forum event page at WIEGO website https://www.wiego.org/events/hnsea-universal-health-coverage-workshop-asean-peoples-forum Towards Universal Health Coverage for Home-Based Worker in Southeast Asia https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/file/Towards%20Universal%20Health%20Coverage%20for%20Home-Based%20Worker%20in%20Southeast%20Asia.pdf Our theme music is Focus, from A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons)

In 2015, the ILO’s International Labour Conference adopted the Recommendation about the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy, the R204. To help us understand what is the R204, what is the importance of it, what has been done until now and the challenges ahead, we will talk to Jane Barrett Jane is WIEGO’s Organization and Representation programme director and she has been leading the R204 process at WIEGO in South Africa. Resources • WIEGO’s perspective on “Formalizing the Informal Economy” http://www.wiego.org/formalization/formalizing-informal-economy • WIEGO Network Platform: Transitioning from the Informal to the Formal Economy in the Interest of Workers in the Informal Economy: https://www.wiego.org/resources/wiego-network-platform-transitioning-informal-formal-economy-interest-workers-informal-eco • WIEGO in the 2015 International Labour Conference on Facilitating Transitions from the Informal to the Formal Economy: https://www.wiego.org/content/international-labour-conference-2015 • Myths & Facts about the Informal Economy and Workers in the Informal Economy: https://www.wiego.org/resources/myths-facts-about-informal-economy-and-workers • Informality and Illegality: Unpacking the Relationship: https://www.wiego.org/sites/wiego.org/files/resources/files/WIEGO-Informality-and-Illegality.pdf • VIDEO: Organizing for Change: https://www.wiego.org/organizing/video-organizing-change-workers-informal-economy • Read the ILO’s Recommendation 204: https://www.ilo.org/ilc/ILCSessions/previous-sessions/104/texts-adopted/WCMS_377774/lang--en/index.htm *Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

Who should bear the main burden of social service: is it the state, the private sector, NGOs, communities or individuals? This is a very complex discussion, so central to questions of rising inequality. In order to contribute to this debate, Laura Alfers has published a paper for the UNRISD Conference “Overcoming Inequalities in a Fractured World: Between Elite Power and Social Mobilization”, which took place in Geneva, last November. Laura’s paper is concerned with how informal workers’ organizations have become involved in health service provision – something that is often termed “co-production.” She draws from two case studies, one from India and another one from Thailand, to explain how grassroots organizations have taken important roles in the provision on social services. Laura Alfers is WIEGO’s Social Protection Director and Research Associate in Rhodes University, in South Africa. She is here again with us to discuss the issues surrounding “Informal Workers Co-Producing Social Services in the Global South”, the title of her paper. RESOURCES Conference paper: Informal Workers Co-Producing Social Services in the Global South: Task Shifting or Political Strategy towards a New Social Contract?, by Laura Alfers. Draft paper prepared for the UNRISD Conference Overcoming Inequalities in a Fractured World: Between Elite Power and Social Mobilization 8–9 November 2018, Geneva, Switzerland. http://www.unrisd.org/80256B42004CCC77/(httpInfoFiles)/3DB49A55A790DBFCC12583390051DA55/$file/Overcoming%20Inequalities%205b_Alfers---Final.pdf Blog: In India, One-stop Shops Increase Access to Healthcare, Nutrition and Social Security Services for Working Poor, by Laura Alfers http://www.wiego.org/blog/india-one-stop-shops-increase-access-healthcare-nutrition-and-social-security-services-working- Bridges to Better Lives: SEWA's Community Health Workers, by Annie Devenish and Laura Alfers. Workers’s Lives brief 7. http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/WL7_Devenish_Alfers%20final%20for%20web.pdf Forging a New Conceptualization of “The Public” in Waste Management, by Melanie Samson. WIEGO Working Paper 32. http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/Samson-Public-Waste-Management-WIEGO-WP32.pdf Our theme music is Focus, from A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons)

La violencia y el acoso en el lugar de trabajo afectan a muchos trabajadores en todo el mundo, especialmente a las mujeres. Es un fenómeno tan generalizado que se incluyó en el orden del día de la próxima conferencia internacional del trabajo, que tendrá lugar en los próximos días en ginebra, donde la cuestión será objeto de una segunda ronda de debates, con vistas a la adopción de un convenio de la OIT. Es importante tener en cuenta que la violencia y el acoso en el lugar de trabajo también afectan de distintas maneras a trabajadores diferentes: hombres y mujeres, trabajadores formales e informales. Para ayudarnos a entender mejor las implicaciones de esta violencia, el trabajo doméstico y la interseccionalidad entre el género y el estatus laboral - y el papel de la protección social en el tratamiento de este problema - invitamos a Adriana Paz. Adriana es originaria de Bolivia y ha trabajado como organizadora comunitaria, educadora e investigadora durante más de 15 años en justicia social, derechos de la mujer y derechos de los migrantes para organizaciones comunitarias y sin fines de lucro en Bolivia, México y Canadá. Actualmente es la coordinadora regional para américa latina de la federación internacional de trabajadoras del hogar – FITH/IDWF. *Violence and Informal Work (Briefing) http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/ILC_WIEGO_Briefing%20Note%20Violence%20in%20the%20workplace%20EN%20for%20web.pdf *Workplace Violence and Harassment: Informal Workers Also Need *Protection http://www.wiego.org/blog/workplace-violence-and-harassment-informal-workers-also-need-protection *Pagina de la ILO sobre la 108a Conferencia Internacional de Trabajo https://www.ilo.org/ilc/ILCSessions/108/lang--en/index.htm Reports of the Standard-Setting Committee on Violence and *Harassment in the World of Work: Summary of proceedings (ILO) https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_631807.pdf *IDWF sobre violencia con base de genero http://idwfed.org/en/updates/gender-based-violence *Campaña de IDWF “Erradicar Violencia con base de genero en el trabajo” http://www.idwfed.org/en/resources/support-campaign-to-end-gender-based-violence-at-work *IDWF en Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IDWFED/ *IDWF en twitter https://twitter.com/IDWFED Nuestro tema musical es Focus, de A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons) El tema musical incidental es Afghanistan Banana Stand, de Eaters (Creative Commons)

Violence and harassment at the workplace affect many workers all over the world, especially women. It is such a pervasive phenomenon that it was included in the agenda of the next International Labour Conference, which will take place the coming days in Geneva, where the issue will be up for a second round of discussions, with a view to the adoption of an ILO convention. It is important to bear in mind that violence and harassment at the workplace also affect in distinct ways different workers: men and women, formal and informal workers. To help us understand more about the implications of this issue for domestic workers and the intersectionality between gender and work status – and the role of social protection in addressing this problem – we invite Adriana Paz. Adriana is originally from Bolivia and she has worked as community organizer, women’s rights and migrant rights for community based and non-profit organizations in Bolivia, Mexico and Canada. She is currently the Latin America regional coordinator of the international domestic workers federation – IDWF. *Violence and Informal Work (Briefing Note) http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/ILC_WIEGO_Briefing%20Note%20Violence%20in%20the%20workplace%20EN%20for%20web.pdf *Workplace Violence and Harassment: Informal Workers Also Need Protection http://www.wiego.org/blog/workplace-violence-and-harassment-informal-workers-also-need-protection *ILO page on the 108th International Labour Conference https://www.ilo.org/ilc/ILCSessions/108/lang--en/index.htm *Reports of the Standard-Setting Committee on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work: Summary of proceedings (ILO) https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_631807.pdf *IDWF on gender-based violence http://idwfed.org/en/updates/gender-based-violence *IDWF Campaign to “End Gender-based Violence at Work” http://www.idwfed.org/en/resources/support-campaign-to-end-gender-based-violence-at-work *IDWF at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IDWFED/ *IDWF on twitter https://twitter.com/IDWFED Our theme music is Focus, from A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons) The incidental music is Afghanistan Banana Stand, from Eaters (Creative Commons)

Child care is often regarded as part of the education policy, centred around early childhood care and development. But child care is also the provision of a service that has a close relation to social protection and women economic empowerment. Informal women workers' low earnings mean they work long hours to secure their family livelihood, often times leaving little time for them to care for children living in their households. But children require care, and without the provision of quality child care services, women either take on more flexible but insecure informal work, work fewer hours in these jobs than they need or want, or are less productive because they have to look after their children while trying to work. The lack of quality child care options contributes to gender inequalities in labour force participation rates and earnings and to high levels of poverty among women informal workers. Today we invite Rachel Moussié understand more about this topic. Rachel holds a MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics. She is currently the Deputy Director of the Social Protection programme at WIEGO. Learn more about child care and informal economy - Mobilizing for Child Care: http://www.wiego.org/publications/women-informal-workers-mobilizing-child-care - Child Care Initiative: http://www.wiego.org/sites/wiego.org/files/publications/files/Alfers-Child-Care-Initiative-Summary-Report.pdf - Child Care Campaign page: http://www.wiego.org/wiego/wiego-child-care-campaign - Childcare from the perspective of women informal workers: http://www.wiego.org/publications/childcare-perspective-women-informal-workers - Literature review on Child Care: http://www.wiego.org/sites/wiego.org/files/resources/files/Alfers-Child-Care-Policy-Employment-Lit-Review.pdf Our theme music is Focus, from A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons)

Em abril é comemorado o Dia Mundial Da Saúde e o Dia Mundial da Saúde do Trabalhador. Para marcar essas datas, este episódio irá discutir uma questão muito importante: saúde e segurança no trabalho. As medidas de saúde e segurança no trabalho desempenham um papel importante na qualidade de vida dos trabalhadores e na sua capacidade de garantir meios de vida estáveis e sustentáveis. E isso é ainda mais crucial para os trabalhadores informais, muitas vezes deixados de fora das regulamentações que lhes garantem um ambiente de trabalho seguro. Foi pensando sobre essas questões que surgiu o projeto cuidar. Procurando compreender os desafios que os catadores de materiais recicláveis enfrentam no brasil, Sonia Dias e Ana Carolina Ogando desenvolveram um projeto empírico de pesquisa-ação qualitativa, durante dois anos, em cooperativas de catadores. Ana e vão falar sobre o Projeto Cuidar. Sonia Dias é socióloga por formação e é doutora em ciência política pela Universidade Federal de Belo Horizonte, e é atualmente especialista em resíduos de WIEGO. Ana Carolina é pesquisadora da WIEGO e também tem um doutorado em ciência política na mesma universidade. *Cuidar Project Page http://www.wiego.org/cuidar-project *Cuidar Project: Summary Report http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/Dias-Ogando-Project-Cuidar-Health-Mapping.pdf *WIEGO’s page on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) https://www.wiego.org/ohs *WIEGO’s page on Waste-pickers http://www.wiego.org/informal-economy/occupational-groups/waste-pickers *Joint ILO/WIEGO report Cooperatives Meeting Informal Economy Workers’ Child Care Needs (2018) https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/cooperatives/publications/WCMS_626682/lang--en/index.htm *WIEGO’s page on cooperatives http://www.wiego.org/wiego/wiegos-work-cooperatives Nossa música-tema é Focus, do A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons)

On April 7th is celebrated the World Health Day. In order to mark this date, this episode will discuss a very important issue: occupational, health and safety. Health and safety measures at work play an important role on workers quality of life, and their capacity of having a steady and sustainable livelihood. And this is even more crucial for informal workers, often left out of regulations that assure them a safe work environment. It was thinking about this questions that the Cuidar Project came about. Seeking to understand the challenges waste pickers face in Brazil, Sonia Dias and Ana Carolina Ogando undertook an empirical qualitative research-action project for two years at waste-pickers cooperatives. Sonia dias is a sociologist by training and holds a PhD in political science at the federal university of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and is currently Wiego’s Waste Specialist. Ana Carolina is Wiego’s Research Associate and also holds a PhD in political science at the same university. *Cuidar Project Page http://www.wiego.org/cuidar-project *Cuidar Project: Summary Report http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/Dias-Ogando-Project-Cuidar-Health-Mapping.pdf *WIEGO’s page on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) https://www.wiego.org/ohs *WIEGO’s page on Waste-pickers http://www.wiego.org/informal-economy/occupational-groups/waste-pickers *Joint ILO/WIEGO report Cooperatives Meeting Informal Economy Workers’ Child Care Needs (2018) https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/cooperatives/publications/WCMS_626682/lang--en/index.htm *WIEGO’s page on cooperatives http://www.wiego.org/wiego/wiegos-work-cooperatives Our theme music is Focus, from A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons)

March is the month when the international women’s day is celebrated across the world. And it is also when the United Nations commission on the status of women, CSW, holds its annual session, in New York. And this year, the chosen priority theme is: “Social Protection Systems, Access to Public Services and Sustainable Infrastructure for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls”. To help us understand more about this topic and talk about the linkages between social protection, public services and urban infrastructure in relation to protecting the livelihoods of women informal workers we invite Laura Alfers. Laura is the Wiego’s Social Protection programme director. She holds a PhD at the School of Built Environment and Development Studies, at The University of Kwazulu-Natal, in Durban, South Africa. She is currently a post-doctoral research fellow at the Institute for Social & Economic Research at Rhodes University, also in South Africa. You can find more information on Urban Infrastructure, Social Protection and Women Informal Workers here: Wiego at the CSW: http://www.wiego.org/content/63rd-commission-status-women-csw63 Extending Social Protection to Informal Workers http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/Social%20Protection%20Informal%20Workers%20for%20web.pdf Wiego Child Care Campaign webpage: http://www.wiego.org/wiego/wiego-child-care-campaign Wiego homepage: www.wiego.org Our theme music is Focus, from A. A. Aalto (Creative Commons)

And in this opening episode, we will discuss some of the more fundamental and general issues about social protection and informal employment. Having access to social protection is crucial to shelter workers against risks to their incomes and help them cope after an event or shock. Informal workers are one of the most vulnerable working group, but are often left out of the reach of social protection systems. To talk about the linkages between social protection and informal employment we invited Francie Lund. Francie was a senior research associate at the school of development studies at the university of Kuazulu-Natal, in Durban, South Africa, where she has specialized in social policy. Currently, she is Wiego’s senior advisor in the Social Protection Programme. Music by A.A. Aalto (creative commons)

Globally, 2 billion people work in the informal economy. This means that 61% of workers rely on work that offers little pay and few protections. Women informal workers, such as domestic workers, home-based workers, street vendors and waste pickers are at the base of the economic pyramid with the highest risk of poverty. Public policies and social protection schemes often do not consider these workers, leaving them vulnerable to income losses and struggling to cope after an event or shock. In this monthly podcast we will discuss some of the most pressing issues related to social protection from the perspective of informal workers, including debates around the future of work, demographic changes and the informal economy, as well as social services, like child care and health that can protect informal workers’ incomes. Subscribe to the “Informal Economy Podcast: Social Protection” to learn more about WIEGO’s cutting-edge research and hear from informal workers organisations about the debates, policies, successes and challenges they face in accessing and reforming social protection systems. Music by A.A. Aalto (creative commons)