Providing Social Security for Vulnerable Groups: Informal Women Workers of SEWA, India.
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Providing Social Providing Social Security for Vulnerable Security for Vulnerable Groups: Groups: Informal Women Workers of SEWA, India
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Transcript of Providing Social Security for Vulnerable Groups: Informal Women Workers of SEWA, India.
Providing Social Security for Providing Social Security for Vulnerable Groups:Vulnerable Groups:
Informal Women Workers of SEWA, India
93% of the workforce is in the informal economy93% of the workforce is in the informal economySEWA organises informal women workers.SEWA organises informal women workers.
THE INFORMAL ECONOMYTHE INFORMAL ECONOMY
Self-Employed Women’s Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)Association (SEWA)
SEWA is a trade union of 796,000 women workers in the informal economy in Gujarat and 7 other states.It was founded by Elaben Bhatt in 1972.
SEWA’S GOALS & SOCIAL SECURITYSEWA’S GOALS & SOCIAL SECURITY
• Work & Income Security
• Food Security
A. Full Employment:
• Social Security: - health care - child care - insurance - shelter - pension
SEWA’S GOALS & SOCIAL SECURITYSEWA’S GOALS & SOCIAL SECURITY
• Economic
• Decision-makingand control
B.Self-Reliance:
Social Security: OUR APPROACHSocial Security: OUR APPROACH• need-based, at doorsteps• decentralized – through local teams, associations• women – led, community - based• self – reliant - contributory - through workers’ organisations • holistic and integrated - with work security - with other services - within a service
Social Security: OUR APPROACHSocial Security: OUR APPROACH
• promotes organising, entry of new members• partnerships - with other People’s Organisations, NGOs - government - private sector• grassroots work policy action
SEWA SOCIAL SECURITY – OUTREACH (2005)SEWA SOCIAL SECURITY – OUTREACH (2005)
A. Health Care through Cooperatives - Health Education - 28,169 - Camps - 38,380 - Sale of Low cost Drugs - Rs. 11,106,007
- T.B. Screening - 5622
Team: Staff - 100 Aagewans & Health workers - 500
Through workers’ cooperativeThrough workers’ cooperative
SEWA SOCIAL SECURITY – OUTREACH (2005)SEWA SOCIAL SECURITY – OUTREACH (2005)
B. Child Care - Children - 9240 - Mothers - 8034 - Teachers - 581
Team:Staff - 21Aagewans - 22Teachers - 581
Through workers’ cooperativeThrough workers’ cooperative
SEWA SOCIAL SECURITY – OUTREACH (2005)SEWA SOCIAL SECURITY – OUTREACH (2005)
C. Insurance
Total Insured - 187,973
Team:
Staff - 75
Aagewans - 120
Through workers’ cooperativeThrough workers’ cooperative
SEWA SOCIAL SECURITY – OUTREACH (2005)SEWA SOCIAL SECURITY – OUTREACH (2005)
D.Housing Urban 73 slums 10,500 families Rural 5345 houses
Team:
Staff - 125
Aagewans - 660
Through local CBOsThrough local CBOs
Some Some LessonsLessons1. Social Security for and by women workers promotes
organising — it both builds solidarity and provides useful services.
2. Linkage with formal systems
can be forged — with
government, employers,
others — to provide social
security.
3. When women workers run
their own social security
programmes, it is
empowering. They become
strong leaders, managers.
Some LessonsSome Lessons4. Social security programmes for informal workers can be
sustainable — financially and in terms of human resourcesWomen workers are willing to contribute for social security.
5. Social security must address workers’ varied and multiple needs —as comprehensive as possible.
6. Special organisations and institutions must be created for social security for informal workers preferably membership — based organisations — e.g. cooperatives.
Some LessonsSome Lessons7. Work security and social security are two sides of the
same coin. Each cannot be attained without the other.
8. Social security can and must lead to employment of local
women. Possible areas: dais, creche workers, insurance
promoters.
9. Partnerships are necessary to ensure that social security actually reaches the poor.
Government alone or the private sector alone cannot reach the poor (although the government must bear the primary responsibility).
Challenges• expansion – huge demand expansion – huge demand • quality controlquality control• capacity building - of aagewanscapacity building - of aagewans
- of local teams- of local teams - of organisers- of organisers
• viability, self relianceviability, self reliance• policy environment:policy environment: e.g. dais, own e.g. dais, own insurance company,insurance company, childcare entitlementchildcare entitlement
Self-Employed Women’s Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Association (SEWA)
