Podcasts about wiego

In this episode we take a pause from the discussion around delivery and provision of social protection benefits and take a fresh look at the challenges to finance social protection in a time of very deep transformations in the world of work. Among these changes, we have increasing automation, swift advances in artificial intelligence and the emergence of forms of capital-labour relations through the mediation of platforms. These multiple processes have triggered an intense discussion about how social protection systems should be or could be financed – and by whom. It was within this ongoing debate that Luca Pelerano and Florian Juergens-Grant have recently published an op-ed at Project Syndicate. In this article, they analysed some of these challenges and, most importantly, advanced some possible innovative alternatives to address them. Luca and Florian will be our guests in this special episode. Luca Pelerano is a social protection specialist and works at the Social Protection Department of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and he has more than 15 years of experience in policy reform. Florian is the Global Social Protection Advisor at WIEGO, and his work focuses mainly on the issues regarding the financing of social protection for informal workers, the impacts of social protection programmes on labour markets, workers and their families; as well as the design of inclusive social insurance systems. *** Learn more Future-Proofing Social Protection, by Luca Pelerano and Florian Juergens-Grant - https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/how-to-ensure-sustainable-financing-social-insurance-by-florian-juergens-grant-and-luca-pellerano-2025-03s

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/

This episode was recorded during the virtual Meeting titled “Reducing Methane Emissions: A Legislative Agenda” organized by the ParlAmericas Green Economy Caucus and the Andean Parliament. During the session, Federico Parra, Social and Solidarity Economy Specialist at Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing & Organizing (WIEGO), discusses the valuable role waste pickers play in reducing methane emissions by diverting waste from landfills and outlines WIEGO's initiatives to support their work. In particular, Federico introduces the GHG calculator developed by WIEGO, which quantifies the emissions reductions achieved by waste pickers at various stages of waste management. He also shares recommendations on how parliaments can support the recognition and formalization of these workers, fostering collaborations to improve their working conditions and compensation for a mutually beneficial outcome.For more information on the resources shared during this meeting please visit our webpage on the activity.

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)

May 13, 2024 - Expanding the state's bottle redemption laws would impact manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, but it would also have ramifications for thousands of "canners" in New York City. We learn about these New Yorkers with Jenna Harvey, an urban analyst with WIEGO, and Ryan Castalia, Executive Director of Sure We Can.

In Southeast Asia the gig economy is growing fast. Attracted by the promise of flexibility, independence, and low entry costs, gig workers offer their services on a task-by-task basis facilitated through a digital platform or app. The appeal of this model has attracted millions of workers in the region, however, unlike traditional employees, gig workers often lack access to essential social protection schemes, such as health insurance, old-age pension, and unemployment benefits. In this episode, we examine the challenges presented by this new employment trend. Workers often face precarious working conditions which leave them vulnerable to shocks and unexpected events.  We discuss how governments, unions, and the platforms themselves can work to bridge social protection gaps and extend coverage to this growing group. This is the second episode of a three-part series titled "Emerging trends for Social Protection in the Indo-Pacific", presented by socialprotection.org. We extend our gratitude to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for their invaluable support in shaping this series and facilitating connections with the most suitable guests for each episode.   Meet our guests: Brendan Chia, Head, Regional Public Affairs and Policy for Grab. Francis Kim Upgi, Director of Economic and Social policy for ITUC Yesim Elhan-Kayalar, Advisor, Office of the Chief Economist at ADB   For our Quick Wins segment, we are joined by Cyrus Afshar, Social protection Officer at WIEGO and host of WIEGO's Informal Economy Podcast.   Episode Resources: Publication | Gig Economy Employment during the Pandemic: An Analysis of GrabFood Driver Experiences in the Philippines Publication | Social Protection as a Solar System Podcast | Informal Economy Podcast Publication | Challenges and strategies to increase social protection financing for workers in informal employment Webinar | Is social protection to blame for informality? Podcast episode | Challenging Global Social Protection Orthodoxies

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

Conversamos con el Padre Mario Ángel Flores –Director del Observatorio del Episcopado Mexicano– sobre el encuentro entre la Conferencia del Episcopado Mexicano y los tres aspirantes presidenciales para firmar el Compromiso Nacional por La Paz,  el próximo lunes 11 de marzo. Los obispos del país invitaron a Xóchitl Gálvez Ruiz, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo y Jorge Álvarez Máynez al encuentro donde se les presentará la Agenda Nacional de Paz y se les entregará el documento "Estrategias de Política Pública para La Paz”. La reunión será en el Centro Cultural Tlatelolco a las 09:00 horas, y los tres candidatos ya confirmaron para asistir de manera escalonada El encuentro durará dos horas con cada aspirante y les presentarán recomendaciones en materia de seguridad realizadas por 50 especialistas en la materia.Nos enlazamos en llamada con Eduardo Alavez –reportero de Chilango– para compartirnos acerca de la suspensión de clases presenciales este martes 5 de marzo para el turno matutino, informó el Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades del Plantel Azcapotzalco a la comunidad estudiantil. A causa de los continuos cortes intermitentes de luz  en el plantel y presencia de humo por el incendio forestal en el Vaso Regular “El Cristo”, en el municipio de Naucalpan, en el Estado de México. Continuamos la conversación con Jesús Esquivel –periodista y corresponsal en Washington D.C de Proceso– acerca del supermartes del día de hoy, que habitualmente se celebra en febrero o marzo, es el día en que el mayor número de Estados realiza elecciones primarias para  definir las candidaturas presidenciales de los partidos Demócrata y Republicano.  En el supermartes se pueden ganar aproximadamente un tercio de todos los delegados para las convenciones de nominación presidencial. Joe Biden prácticamente no tiene competencia en el bando demócrata, mientras que del lado republicano se habla de Donald Trump como candidato electo por el mismo motivo.Conversamos con Yuleina Carmona García –coordinadora para la Ciudad de México de WIEGO–, Aideé Zamorano González –Fundadora y directora de Mamá Godín–, Paola Rebeca Moreno Sandoval –coordinadora operativa de Aúna (Plataforma para nuevas representaciones políticas de mujeres), acerca de la complejidad del sujeto político de la protesta, las mujeres, dentro del rumbo a la marcha del 8M en CDMX, dando foco a las mujeres dentro del comercio informal y a las personas no asalariadas.Conversamos con José Ibarra –periodista en Baja California– sobre los elementos de la Secretaría de Marina que localizaron el cuerpo del séptimo cadete desaparecido el 20 de febrero en Ensenada, Baja California. Se trata de Óscar Abraham Sánchez, cuya vestimenta militar permitió reconocerlo.Programa transmitido el 05 de marzo de 2024. Escucha 'Esto no es un noticiero' con Nacho Lozano, en vivo de lunes a viernes de 1:00 p.m. a 2:00 p.m. por el 105.3 de FM. Esta es una producción de Radio Chilango.

Conversamos con Yuleina Carmona García –coordinadora para la Ciudad de México de WIEGO–, Aideé Zamorano González –Fundadora y directora de Mamá Godín–, Paola Rebeca Moreno Sandoval –coordinadora operativa de Aúna (Plataforma para nuevas representaciones políticas de mujeres), acerca de la complejidad del sujeto político de la protesta, las mujeres, dentro del rumbo a la marcha del 8M en CDMX, dando foco a las mujeres dentro del comercio informal y a las personas no asalariadas.Programa transmitido el 05 de marzo de 2024. Escucha 'Esto no es un noticiero' con Nacho Lozano, en vivo de lunes a viernes de 1:00 p.m. a 2:00 p.m. por el 105.3 de FM. Esta es una producción de Radio Chilango.

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

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

बिजल ब्रह्मभट्ट वर्तमान में महिला आवास सेवा ट्रस्ट (एमएचटी) की निदेशक हैं. वह प्रशिक्षण से एक सिविल इंजीनियर हैं और आवास सुधार, सामुदायिक विकास और आवास वित्त में एक मान्यता प्राप्त विशेषज्ञ हैं. वह राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर एमएचटी के संचालन की देखरेख करती हैं. उन्हें पूरे भारत में स्लम उन्नयन कार्यक्रमों की परिकल्पना, योजना, प्रबंधन और समर्थन प्रदान करने का सिद्ध अनुभव है. उनके पास भूमि कार्यकाल और नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के मुद्दों में भी विशेषज्ञता है, और उन्होंने आवास, आवास वित्त, सामुदायिक विकास और भूमि कार्यकाल पर विश्व बैंक, CEPT विश्वविद्यालय, WIEGO, और इसी तरह के कागजात लिखे हैं.

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

'In Solidarity' is a SEWA Cooperative Federation podcast that explores themes relevant to women's economic empowerment and challenges that women-owned, women-run enterprises face. In the fourth episode, titled 'Exploring Informal Economy and Women's Work,' we are in conversation with Martha Chen, Padma Shree awardee and the co-founder of the WIEGO network, which works to raise the voice and visibility of the working poor. According to a 2018 ILO study, two billion of the global employed population earn their living in the informal economy. The informal economy exists in countries at all levels of socioeconomic development. Despite witnessing rapid economic growth over the last two decades, nearly 90 percent of workers in India have remained informally employed, producing about half of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While women make for only 23 percent of those employed in India's informal sector, 91 percent of Indian women in paid jobs are in the informal sector. Women in the informal economy are particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation due to low and unstable incomes and a lack of social protection and written contracts. Through this conversation with Martha Chen, we explore questions around informality, women's work, the power of collective voice, and ways to bring informal women workers into the formal economy. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sewa-cooperative-federation/message

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

¿Has escuchado hablar de lxs rifadxs de la basura? es un corto documental que cuenta de cerca las historias de las personas voluntarias del servicio de limpieza de la CDMX que dependen de nuestras propinas, no tienen prestaciones laborales y viven en la informalidad laboral. Con el pretexto del estreno de este documental, este 15 de febrero en el Cine Tonalá, invitamos a Tania Espinosa de WIEGO y a Isaky, voluntario del servicio de limpieza a contarnos con más detalle cómo se vive el día día, qué implicaciones tiene para ellxs vivir en la informalidad y cómo funciona todo el entramado.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/antifazSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

Formalise It! Rights for All Workers How can we expand rights to all garment workers, no matter where they work – in factories or their own homes, or as refugees or migrants far from their country of origin?  In this episode: How workers from Myanmar fought for the pay they were owed, from a factory in Mae Sot, Thailand (Brahm Press, MAP Foundation) Some of the challenges faced by migrant workers in Thailand, and what support is needed (Reiko Harima, Mekong Migration Network) The story of Hussain, a refugee garment worker in Turkey How home-based workers – mostly working in the garment sector – have got organised over several decades, and some of their wins (Janhavi Deva, HomeNet International; Zehra Khan, Home Based Women Workers Federation; Poonsap Tulaphan, Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion) Building collaboration between home-based worker and other worker rights supporters (Marlese von Broembsen, WIEGO)  Please tell us what inspired you about this show, and share your feedback, comments and questions, by emailing: podcast@cleanclothes.org  Speakers: Brahm Press, MAP Foundation, Thailand Reiko Harima, Mekong Migration Network, Japan Hussain, Turkey Mariam Danishjo, Turkey Janhavi Deva, HomeNet International, India Zehra Khan, Home Based Women Workers Federation, Pakisan Poonsap Tulaphan, Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion Marlese von Broembsen, Women in Informal Employment Globalising and Organising  Host: Febriana Firdaus (febrianafirdaus.com)Field Reporters: Petra Ivsic and Aca VragolovicSound Engineering Support: Steve Adam (www.spectrosonics.com.au) Producer: Matthew Abud Clean Clothes Podcast Team: Anne Dekker, Johnson Ching-Yin Yeung, Liz Parker, Tanne de Goei Full Transcript HOST:Welcome to the show, in our second instalment of the Clean Clothes Podcast.  I'm Febriana Firdaus.  Today we're talking about rights for all workers – meaning migrant workers. Refugee workers. Home-based workers.  Workers who might not have all the right documents, or who might be hidden from view.  Sometimes governments and employers, don't see them as workers at all.  But they still demand their rights.  Mae Sot is in Thailand near the Myanmar border.  Refugees and migrant workers from Myanmar, have lived there for decades.  Now it has hundreds of garment factories that depend on migrant workers.  They're often underpaid to an extreme degree.  The Kanlayanee factory there made clothes for famous brands: Starbucks, Disney, NBC Universal, and Tesco. In 2019 the workers demanded their proper pay.  Brahm Press takes up the story. And just a note: Kanlayanee is the name of the factory, and the name of the factory owner as well.  BRAHM:My name's Brahm Press, the Director of MAP Foundation. MAP Foundation started in 1996, and one of the things we do is we have a process of developing peer leaders, and other migrant worker leaders, identify people who are potential leaders, give them training, and eventually even have passed some through paralegal training. So these workers are able to organise other workers, so that they can collectively bargain with employers for improved working conditions.  In 2019, we invited a reporter from Reuters to Mae Sot to look at the issue of underpayment of wages to migrant workers in factories, and found workers from the Kanlayanee factory. Everyone was being underpaid and there were massive labour rights violations going on. And this developed into a story mainly because these factories were producing for American brands.  Soon after that, the factory closed once Starbucks withdrew its order. So out of the 50 workers around half decided they wanted to take their case for redress, they wanted to make claims for unpaid back wages, unpaid overtime including working on days off and holidays. This group as it turns out, had also passed through some paralegal trainings that MAP had provided so they were very active and very aware of their rights.  Kanlayanee wanted to negotiate with the workers, and so she started negotiations at around half a million Baht, and there were a couple of rounds of negotiation but it was unsatisfactory. So that was around the time that we decided that maybe we should look at the brands. MAP, CCC and WRC, Worker Rights Consortium, worked together along with our community partner CBO, known as Arakan Workers Organisation. The factory owner actually put up pictures of all the workers who were part of the claims, and said do not hire these people, basically put out a blacklist and everywhere they went they found that they were not accepted even though they have obviously extensive experience in garment factories. A lot of them stayed together and they were sharing food which included foraging for like bamboo shoots and morning glory and other things that were just available in the jungle or on the roadside and then eat that with the rice. So it was difficult.  So finally in August or September the court ordered Kanlayanee to pay thirty per cent of the total, or around one point one million Baht. She was able to pay that pretty much right there and then, and so from that, we then turned around and asked the brands to simply pay a portion of the remainder divided between the four brands. Reuters was covering the situation and giving updates on who was paying and who was not, so again that media back-strategy was really helpful.  That left Universal as the last company not to pay any compensation. Three companies paid, including Starbucks. In order to pressure Universal, we decided to focus on their character the Minions from the Despicable Me cartoon, which I think was what was being produced there. And so there were videos and photos of workers dressed as Minions doing the same things to survive as the workers. It was rather cute and creative but at the same time very meaningful.  Later in February NBC approached us and Clean Clothes Campaign saying they would pay, kind of out of the blue. The workers are amazing because besides taking care of their debts and remitting back to their families, mostly they've also decided to use funds to help improve the workers' centre by the CBO that I mentioned, Arakan Workers Organisation, and that centre will help receive similar complaints, and they also put together funds to purchase dry foods to assist other workers in the area who are out of work due to COVID. So that's our story. HOST:That was Brahm Press from MAP Foundation.  The situation for migrant workers is often complicated.  It depends on labour law, but also migration laws. The details are different, in different countries.  Mae Sot is just one example. But it shows many common challenges.  Reiko Harima is Regional Coordinator at Mekong Migration Network, based in Japan. Their work includes Mae Sot and Thailand. REIKO:A lot of policies in relation to labour rights and migration have to a certain extent improved, or have been clarified. So for example migrant workers in garment industry are protected for their labour rights, they are entitled to minimum wage protection, they're entitled to overtime arrangement, and they're entitled to social security system enrolment, just as example. But in reality if the migrant workers complain when they're not receiving minimum wage, they would be, they would lose jobs, they would be blacklisted from the industry, they would not be able to find any other job, and so on. So this lack of enforcement of existing legislation, this has not been improved very much for the past decades.  One of the unfortunately common challenge for migrant women garment factory workers, is the lack of maternity protection. Again it's the issue of lack of enforcement of law, because in Thailand even if migrant women get pregnant they're entitled to maternity protection, they shouldn't be losing a job because of they're getting pregnant, they should be entitled to paid maternity leave, but in reality, most of the migrant women we have talked to are even thankful if they could keep jobs unpaid. Why are they not enforcing it, I think that comes from several reasons. One is that there is less pressure, especially in case of migrant women, because as you know in Thailand, migrant workers are not allowed to start the trade union of their own. They're allowed to join but they cannot start their own trade union. In border areas like Mae Sot where all the workers are migrant workers, how do you start the union, how do you join the union because there are no local workers there who can start the union. So without this kind of collective pressure the government, again, or employers, have less pressure to actually implement the law.  Despite the fact that migrant workers are not allowed to form a trade union there have been a number of actually cases where migrant workers in garment factories did come together and use their collective bargaining power or jointly filed a case, launched a complaint, against their employer through the labour office. And there have been actually several landmark victory cases where the court declared that the employers must pay the unpaid wages to these workers. But in reality, employers did not pay. Nothing changed. And all this workers unfortunately lost the jobs and they could not find any other job in the area or in the same industry because of blacklist.  What we probably need to probably strengthen the support, is what happens to workers after they actually win the cases. Because quite often we celebrate the victory but not necessarily being able to follow up thoroughly over the threats and really difficult conditions that these workers face after they win the cases.  HOST:Reiko Harima from Mekong Migration Network. Migrants and refugees work in the garment industry in many parts of the world –  In Turkey their role is enormous.  As well as Syrian refugees, others from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and former Soviet Union states can all be found, in garment factories.  Hussain is a twenty-five year old refugee worker there.  He tells his story here, with interpretation by Mariam Danisjo.  HUSSAIN:[Original in Dari] MARIAM:I just arrived, and I'm starting my work.  That's Hussain. He's lived in Istanbul, Turkey for the past year. I first met Hussain when I was working for a refugee organization here -- He's from Afghanistan, like me. I'm interpreting for him here. My name's Mariam.   HUSSAIN:[Original in Dari] MARIAM:He tells me that he's from the city of Bamyan.  HUSSAIN:[Original in Dari] MARIAM:It's a very peaceful place. I can say it's the safest city in Afghanistan. I spent my whole life in Bamyan. Those are my best memories. Since then, I've faced so many problems.  HUSSAIN:[Original in Dari] MARIAM:My parents passed away. I joined the military. The government sent me to Logar Province. // But visiting my family was dangerous, because the Taliban had informants along the way. Many of my friends were found this way and beheaded by the Taliban. That's why my family asked me to leave the country. It was difficult for me to leave. I was a little bit young. I wasn't ready. But I had to accept.  HUSSAIN:  [Original in Dari] MARIAM:From Kabul, I got a passport with a visa for Iran. From Iran I walked to the border. It took us five or six days. I was scared. If the Iranian police saw, they would shoot. We would run at night. During the day, we would hide in old houses, in the mountains.. I hardly dared to hope we would reach Turkey alive  HUSSAIN[Original in Dari] MARIAM:But when I arrived in Ankara, I lost my hope. I was expecting UNHCR – the United Nations Refugee Agency – to help me get registered as a refugee. Or at least find a good job. But the Turkish government and UNHCR never helped us. The first place where I started working, I wasn't a garment worker. I didn't have any experience sewing clothes. So at first, I worked as a cleaner. But it wasn't enough. I was sending money to my family as well. We had a lunch break between 1 and 2 o'clock. That's when I tried to learn how to use the machines. I'd ask others to teach me. I learned how to work the machine in a month.  HUSSAIN:[Original in Dari] MARIAM:My shift starts at 8:30. Every two or three weeks, the designs are different. Right now we're sewing clothes for five or six year old boys. The clothes are being sent to Germany. I don't know the name of the brand. We work until 7 o'clock in the evening. If I mess up the clothes, my boss shouts at me. I work hard, I'm not paid well. And I still get yelled at. I come home very tired. I'm not working legally, so I don't have sick days.   Hussain tells me how much he makes. He says he is paid 12 Turkish lira an hour -- Which makes 1 euro, 33 cents. In a month he makes 2 thousand, 500 Turkish lira … That's only 277 euros. It is a little bit more than half of minimum wage in Turkey. HUSSAIN:[Original in Dari] MARIAM:I spend a thousand liras a month on rent and groceries. There are five of us in a three room flat. On the weekends, before the coronavirus lockdowns, I used to go outside. Now, on Saturdays and Sundays, I read books. Inspiring books, on how to develop myself. How to have a better life. When I'm older, I'm planning to open my own business. I'm learning how to build websites, so I can help people set up an online business. I want to make my own future.  HOST:That's Hussain. This piece was produced by Durrie Bouscaren.  Around two million people work without legal status in Turkey – mostly refugees or migrants. If you like this podcast – please share it with your colleagues in the Clean Clothes Network! And if you haven't subscribed already – make sure you do! You'll get an email every time we publish a new episode, so you won't miss a thing You don't have to be a migrant or a refugee to face extra exploitation at work.  It can find you right in your own home.  Home-based work has been described as ‘invisible labour'.  But home-based workers across the world have been getting organised. Matthew Abud has this report.  REPORTER:Last February saw the launch of HomeNet International  That's a new global network of home-based worker organisations. Janhavi Dave is its international coordinator, based in Delhi. She's been part of India's home-based worker movement / for several years now.  JANHAVI:You know whenever I meet home-based workers especially in garment sector, I always ask them why do they work as home-based workers. And you know what we've found is generally three key reasons which they provide. One is the unfair burden of care work, and this is quite big. You know they have to take care of their children, families, cooking, cleaning, and many developing countries they spend a lot of time fetching water. So there is no other option for them to do any other form of remunerative work apart from home-based work. The second reason is also lack of mobility. They don't have affordable and safe you know or accessible transportation systems to go for example to factories. Or the other part is also, you know due to the patriarchal system women are not allowed to go to the factories or outside their own homes and work. The third key reason you know why they work from home is that there is no other form of work, so this is the only option that they have.  Home based workers as a category of labour is not recognised. Not recognised by and I feel mostly by the primary employer which are the brands. Once they're not recognised, you know there's this entire space where everybody has the capacity to exploit them. You know if they're recognised at the top, and say they have a policy for home-based workers a lot of exploitation can be reduced.  REPORTER:HomeNet International might be new. But in India – as well as elsewhere – organising home-based workers has a long history. JANHAVI:It started somewhere in the 1970s and it was started by Self-Employed Women's Association, and with the garment workers.. The first time when they went for one of the registrations, with the Labour Department, they asked them what is the category of worker, and because you know they had to come up with something quickly, one of the leaders said home-based workers. From 1970s you know, of course SEWA was organising a lot of women home-based workers in India, they also were closely working with ILO, and they got in touch with other organisations in Europe, and Asia, and realised that they were not the only ones organising home based workers, there were many other organisations across the world.  That is the time when they received support and solidarity from three global unions, as far as I remember. One is IUF, second is FNV, and the third is ITGLWF. Now this comes to the early 90s, and when all of them got together and pushed for ILO Convention 177…  REPORTER:C-177 is the ILO Convention on Home Work JANHAVI:…ILO Convention 177, in 1996 this Convention was adopted. You can imagine, you know, there are these big companies, they don't want a Convention for home workers. The brands also, these big companies went back to their countries and ensured it was never adopted.  REPORTER:Only ten countries have ratified Convention 177 so far, with the last being the Netherlands in 2012.  But organising home-based workers hasn't stopped. The path this follows, is different in each country.  In Pakistan for example, home based work is an enormous part of the labour force – but just how big, nobody knows.  Zehra Khan says the best estimate is that the country has around twelve million home-based workers, with eighty percent women.  She's the General Secretary of the Home Based Women Workers Federation – the first union for these workers.  ZEHRA:So there's no fixed wage for them, working in a very low wage, having health issues, not considered part of the economy. Previously this issue was raised on the basis of gender, and most civil society organisations saw it as an issue of the poor women. But we took home based worker issue purely as a working class issue, not just a gender issue, and we said home based workers was being exploited as both a women and the labour. So home based workers get work in their home and it is thinking in the society that the woman was getting the job by staying at home so she don't have any problem.  REPORTER:Zehra and others started to organise home-based workers over ten years ago – the union was first registered in 2009.  Because workers are in their own homes, this organising perhaps looks a little more like community development, rather than conventional industrial union work.  ZEHRA:We started meeting and study circles with these women workers, and made these women realise that they are working and have some rights. This was a difficult stage.   So we formed union at provincial level and then at federal level, and it was first ever trade union of home based workers in Pakistan and led by all the women from the working class and were themselves engaged with the home-based sector. Majority of these home based workers were not literate one but consciously they were far ahead.  REPORTER:They had a union, but home-based workers were still not recognised in the law – so changing this, became the next objective. The Federation first targeted the government in the province of Sindh. ZEHRA:We have participated in draft of policy and even in act as well. And along with this we were building pressure by rallies and demonstrations, and finally by May 2018, the Act of Home Based Workers was passed in provincial assembly. So after passing this law in 2018, the whole workers in Sindh, the first thing is they become legally recognised as worker in Pakistan. The main thing is that now their wages have been fixed, they will be calculated as the minimum wage or you can say the living wage.  And the more important thing is that any issue with the employer, middle man or their contractor, they can now sue them in the arbitrary committee. Any cases, in terms of wages, in terms of any harassment, in terms of anything from their contractor or from their employer, they can go to sue the employer.  REPORTER:Meantime, in Southeast Asia, Thailand has around three point seven million home based workers. That's out of around twenty million informal workers in total.  The mobilisation and campaigning story there, is a little different.  Poonsap Tulaphan is Director of the Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion.  POONSAPSince 2000, we try to mobilise and organise home based workers. We need to develop the understanding, because normally the home based worker they not consider themselves as a worker. Most of them are women so they consider themselves as a house wife, not a worker. We have to draw the supply chain, that the finished product will go back to the factories and factory export to other country, and they also support the economic growth of the country. That is how we explain to our members REPORTER:Thailand didn't have a formal organisation for home-based workers until 2013 – that's HomeNet Thailand. This is an NGO rather than a trade union. But even before then, after ten years of organising by Poonsap and many others, the country passed the HomeWorker Protection Act in 2011.  POONSAP:The main message in the bill is that it's like, if the worker produce the same product as the factory, they should get the same income, or the same piece rate the factory pay for them. And at the same time there is no law on occupational health and safety. So under the homeworker protection act it state that the employer shouldn't sub-contract the work that are not safe, and if the sub-contract they should educate or training in terms of occupational health and safety, and they have to provide the PPE, the personal protection equipment.  REPORTER:Poonsap says the HomeWorker Protection Act still hasn't had enough impact on the ground.  It took the government three years to even set up the HomeWorkers Committee, as required by the law – so more work is needed.  But that's not the only legislative advance they achieved.  Thailand's social security scheme was set up in the 1990s, and relies on contributions from workers, employers, and government.  For a long time, home-based workers and other informal workers, were supposed to pay for all three – which was impossible.  POONSAP:Informal worker we also contribute for the economic growth of the country, so the government have to take responsible on this. So we advocate and we success in 2011, that the government will co-pay. But the government co-pay only from their side, only about one part of the contribution fee. So if you pay one hundred baht for the contribution fee, the government will co-pay thirty baht and we have to pay seventy baht.  REPORTER:In South and Southeast Asia, home-based workers have been getting organised.  Regional networks were also established.  Here's Janhavi again. JANHAVI:So in 1998 HomeNet South East Asia was formed, and in 2000 HomeNet South Asia was formed. Over the years these organisations strengthened in numbers, but in the early 2010, there was a need felt to actually go beyond Asia and start organising home based workers. This is when WIEGO came into support…  REPORTER:WIEGO is an NGO – the name stands for Women in Informal Employment, Globalizing and Organizing JANHAVI…WIEGO came into support, they did a lot of mapping work, supported local organisations, and in 2013 we had HomeNet Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and now a lot of organising efforts are happening in Africa and in Latin America.  REPORTER:After many decades of organising, and building regional networks, it was time for a global network – and that's HomeNet International.  JANHAVI:And WIEGO coordinated this effort as a central organisation. And we were hoping to have a first congress, launch congress in the year 2020. We couldn't have it because of the pandemic, but very recently in February we had the launch congress of course virtually, but now there exists a global network of home-based workers.  HomeNet International currently has thirty six affiliates, and collectively we represent over six hundred thousand home-based workers from over eighteen countries. And a first step is actually going to be solidarity building between all our affiliates. While everybody's a home-based worker they're also very different, because you know they work in very different political climates, economic situations, they come from different class, ethnicity, and we have a big, big task of building solidarity between all our affiliates. So that's going to be our first step.  And the third is, which is going to be big for us, is building partnerships with other trade unions, which is ITUCs and SNVs and IUF. And when we say these trade unions, we also want to build partnerships with other organisations which can support the cause of home-based workers, the campaign organisations, Clean Clothes Campaign, Asia Floor Wage Alliance, and ETI. So we're on the lookout what are the other global partnerships that we can build for our network.  HOST:All workers deserve to have their rights defended.  That means greater collaboration, across different worker rights organisations. Marlese von Broembsen, is Law Programme Director at WIEGO – Women in Informal Employment, Globalising and Organising. MARLESE:It's not helpful to from a solidarity perspective and from a political perspective to distinguish between workers inside the factory and workers outside the factory. I mean we know for example from an ILO study done in 2017 that approximately fifty per cent of these factories are taking orders below cost, and so they have to seek mechanisms to download costs and risks onto workers. So typically the workers inside the factory, the pressure on them is unpaid overtime. But the other way of doing that is to outsource further down. They download a range of production costs. So that's the cost of space, it's the cost of electricity, it's the cost of equipment, the sewing machine, the needles. And they can pay them so much less. It's totally unregulated and therefore you know factories can pay nothing. I think it's endemic in the model and unless the procurement terms change it's here to stay.  When we've approached brands, we being WIEGO but also HomeNet Southeast Asia and HomeNet Southasia, when they've approached the brands to say can we track, we know there are home workers in your supply chains, can we trace the supply chain. Sometimes the brands have been quite keen and when we ask them well what would you do, well they'll ban homework then. And I think that's a particular concern for us as we enter this period of the EU mandatory due diligence, because unless we explicitly say it covers the entire chain, and unless we explicitly say all workers should be covered and homeworkers are legitimate workers, the concern for us is that brands will simply say we don't authorise home work. And then it goes further underground and will have further implications for, particularly for wages.  So I think that the point that I'm wanting to make is that you know, do we want to be having first class, second class, third class, some are protected, some are not, some are, only formal ones are protected, and in a sense we really should be transcending the sort of labour law categories of employment and what should be protected and that in fact all workers, whether they're formal or informal, standard, non-standard, should be entitled to labour rights.  HOST:That's Marlese von Broembson, and that's the end of our show.  We have three more shows to go in this series. Like always – we want your feedback! Please email us at podcast@cleanclothes.org. Matthew Abud produced this episode, with Anne Dekker, and the Clean Clothes Podcast team. Liz Parker, Tanne de Goei, and Johnson Chin-Yin Yeung. Sound engineering support is by Steve Adam  I'm Febriana Firdaus.    

WIEGO: Marty Chen Interview 2021 by The Mittal Institute, Harvard University

Marty Chen: WIEGO by The Mittal Institute, Harvard University

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

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)

In the months of June and July, the Social Protection Podcast is hosting a special series in partnership with ODI and GIZ. Across six episodes, our guest host Francesca Bastagli, Director of the Equity and Social Policy programme and Principal Research Fellow at ODI, will moderate conversations around the guiding question: “Covid-19: a turning point for social protection?”. These six episodes are part of an ODI research project, funded by GIZ, on the emerging evidence and learning from social protection measures adopted in the early months, and within the first year, of the onset of the Covid-19 crisis. It asks how effective have social protection responses to Covid-19 to date been, especially for some of those hardest hit, including refugees, women, informal workers and people living in urban areas? What policy features enabled or hindered adequate crisis response? And, while many of the measures are temporary, what potential opportunities and risks do they present for strengthening social protection in the long term? The ODI-GIZ study covers six thematic areas, each with an accompanying paper. Each week of this podcast special series, Francesca will be joined by the lead author of one of the papers, along with an expert discussant. This episode looks at informal workers and social protection during Covid-19 and beyond. Prior to the crisis, many informal workers were faced with little to no access to social protection and healthcare, insecure earnings and precarious work conditions. This made them especially vulnerable to the health and socioeconomic impacts of Covid-19 as the pandemic developed. What social protection measures have been taken to try to extend provision to informal workers during the crisis? How well have these policy measures and adjustments worked in supporting informal workers over the course of the pandemic? And what trade-offs, risks and opportunities do the crisis and subsequent policy adjustments present for filling historic gaps in social protection for informal workers on a permanent basis? This episode was inspired by the ODI-GIZ project thematic paper “Extending social protection to informal workers: Emerging lessons from Covid-19 crisis response” by Laura Alfers and Francesca Bastagli (forthcoming).   Our guests this week are: Laura Alfers, Director of the Social Protection Programme, WIEGO Gautam Bhan, Faculty Member, Indian Institute of Human Settlements   Episode links Webinar recording - Taking stock at the one-year mark: social protection during COVID-19 and beyond COVID-19, Informal Workers and WIEGO's Work during this Crisis  WIEGO: Social Protection Responses to COVID-19 Lessons for Social Protection from the COVID-19 Lockdowns Report 1 of 2: State Relief 

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)

This month, March, marks a year since COVID-19 swept over the globe, and triggered the first waves of closures and lockdowns in many countries. It has been a big year for social protection, as governments, international organisations and communities raced to extend safety nets to the many millions of people who lost work or became more vulnerable due to the pandemic.   In our first episode of the Social Protection Podcast, we look at the challenges and lessons of COVID-19 from a practitioner perspective. You'll hear from four women leaders in the social protection community, who have spent the last year responding to economic, employment and health crises wrought by the pandemic. Featuring:   Cecilia Mbaka, Secretary for Social Development for the Government of Kenya. Carmen Roca, WIEGO coordinator in Lima City, Peru. Sri Kusumastuti Rahayu, leader of the Social Protection Policy Team at the Secretariat for the National Team for Accelerating Poverty Reduction in Indonesia. Dr Hania Sholkamy, Associate Research Professor in the Center for Social Research at the American University in Cairo.   Plus! Our monthly round up of ‘Quick Wins', highlighting news, achievements and research that have sparked our interest.   Quick Wins from Charlotte Bilo, from the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth:   “Don't Let Another Crisis Go to Waste: The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Imperative for a Paradigm Shift”, by James Heintz, Silke Saab and Laura Turquet   “COVID-19 Global Gender Response Tracker” from UNDP and UNWomen.   Poverty Unpacked podcast, hosted by Keetie Roelen at the Institute of Development Studies. Episode #9: Social protection response to Covid-19 Episode #4: Shifting the blame and shame of poverty      

A panel from the second day of our Bangladesh at 50 conference. Hameeda Hossain, Ain o Salish Kendra, Forum Magazine Shireen Huq, Naripokkho Naila Kabeer, London School of Economics Khushi Kabir, Nijera Kori Moderator: Marty Chen, Harvard Kennedy School; WIEGO

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 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

Hace cerca de treinta años algunos habitantes de nuestras ciudades encontraron en los botaderos de basura una forma de subsistir en medio de la marginalidad. La búsqueda de material reutilizable para su uso y venta se convirtió para ellos en principal fuente de recursos en medio de un contexto de discriminación y marginación. Hoy en día, la situación ha cambiado parcialmente. Poco a poco la sociedad toma conciencia sobre la importancia del reciclador como eslabón valioso y necesario para contener los efectos negativos del consumo. En la actualidad, muchos de ellos se encuentran organizados en cooperativas y asociaciones desde las cuales se procura formalizar el oficio y mejorar sus condiciones ¿Cuáles han sido los avances y retrocesos en el camino a la dignificación del oficio del reciclador ? ¿Cómo se enfrenta en el sector las amenazas de la pandemia? ¿Cuáles son los principales retos de cara al futuro? Estas y otras preguntas se tratan en este nuevo Podcast del Instituto de Estudios Urbanos de la Universidad Nacional. Para ello contamos con el testimonio de los recicladores Gonzalo Mejía, Silvio Ruiz y Martha Elena Escobar, y la opinión de los investigadores y docentes de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia: Luisa Tovar, Isidro Hernández y Federico Parra, este último coordinador del programa de Recicladores de la Ong Internacional Wiego. Créditos: Dirección: Profesor Diego Peña Agradecimiento especial: Federico Parra, profesor de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, coordinador del programa de Recicladores de la Ong internacional Wiego. Fotografía: Gonzalo Mejía Pico, reciclador de la Cooperativa de recicladores Bello Renacer, Santander. Producción sonora: Edgar Guasca Producción periodística: Claudia Sánchez y Milton Medina Locución:Paola Medellín

Hace cerca de treinta años algunos habitantes de nuestras ciudades encontraron en los botaderos de basura una forma de subsistir en medio de la marginalidad. La búsqueda de material reutilizable para su uso y venta se convirtió para ellos en principal fuente de recursos en medio de un contexto de discriminación y marginación. Hoy en día, la situación ha cambiado parcialmente. Poco a poco la sociedad toma conciencia sobre la importancia del reciclador como eslabón valioso y necesario para contener los efectos negativos del consumo. En la actualidad, muchos de ellos se encuentran organizados en cooperativas y asociaciones desde las cuales se procura formalizar el oficio y mejorar sus condiciones ¿Cuáles han sido los avances y retrocesos en el camino a la dignificación del oficio del reciclador ? ¿Cómo se enfrenta en el sector las amenazas de la pandemia? ¿Cuáles son los principales retos de cara al futuro? Estas y otras preguntas se tratan en este nuevo Podcast del Instituto de Estudios Urbanos de la Universidad Nacional. Para ello contamos con el testimonio de los recicladores Gonzalo Mejía, Silvio Ruiz y Martha Elena Escobar, y la opinión de los investigadores y docentes de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia: Luisa Tovar, Isidro Hernández y Federico Parra, este último coordinador del programa de Recicladores de la Ong internacional Wiego. Créditos: Dirección: Profesor Diego Peña. Producción sonora: Edgar Guasca. Producción periodística: Claudia Sánchez y Milton Medina. Locución: Paola Medellín.

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

We hold many assumptions about our workplaces and about what makes a good job, ones that often leave out women’s perspectives. Dr. Sally Roever of Women in Informal Employment Globalizing and Organizing, known as WIEGO, explains how social dialogue can broaden our understanding of work, unpack our assumptions about labour, and better working conditions for women around the world. Host: Kate Lancaster Producer: Robin Allison Davis

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)

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)

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)

In this episode, Anja calls up Dr. Jenna Jambeck and Amy Brooks from the University of Georgia on a research trip in Vietnam to learn about their research on waste management and plastic pollution. In many Asian countries, a booming economy is coupled with more and more people using throw-away items. Informal recyclers and waste pickers who have traditionally sorted the waste cannot keep up. But, like millions of people around the world, they depend on waste as a resource for their livelihoods. How can the systems be reformed without leaving the people behind? To find out more, Anja calls Dr. Sonia Maria Dias, a garbologist from Brazil, who tells her about how waste management should include the working poor. The Plastisphere is a research and interview podcast by German freelance journalist Anja Krieger. Transcript with links and pictures http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2018/10/06/ep-3-millions-of-waste-pickers/ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @PlastispherePod Subscribe: anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/ Support: www.patreon.com/plastispherepodcast Support (German): www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/?accounting=open Music: Dorian Roy and Blue Dot Sessions https://sessions.blue/ Cover art: Maren von Stockhausen Thanks to: Ines Blaesius, Luisa Beck, Daniella Cheslow, the Wiego staff, and Karl Urban for editing the German version for RiffReporter https://www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/muell-asien/

In this episode, Ana Carolina Ogando, research associate in the urban policies programme of the global network “Women in Informal Employment Globalizing and Organizing” (or WIEGO), introduces the organization’s project “Cuidar” (or Care) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. In her presentation, “Waste Picker Perceptions on Health and Health Risks: Perspectives from the Ground,” she outlines the participatory research method employed to better understand the health-related risks faced by informal workers in the city, the project’s general findings, and some of the resulting policy implications. This episode was recorded during the 10th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, Gender-responsive Climate Action, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from May 22-24, 2018, where participants discussed strategies for ensuring that national climate policies, plans, and legislation are informed by gender analysis, and that these are also in alignment with national and international development objectives. This presentation was part of the third session of the gathering, which focused on the connections between gender, health and climate change.