SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre Empowering women through traditional skills CSO Forum: World Bank...
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Transcript of SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre Empowering women through traditional skills CSO Forum: World Bank...
SEWA Trade Facilitation CentreEmpowering women through traditional skillsEmpowering women through traditional skills
CSO Forum: World Bank Annual General Meeting
15th September 2006
The Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) The Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) “We Are Poor But So Many” “We Are Poor But So Many”
Empowerment
Livelihood Support
Direct Employment
Micro-finance
Health Care
Child Care
Nutrition
Education
Today, over 700,000 SEWA members both contribute and gain:
Evolution of SEWA: Need Driven and Evolution of SEWA: Need Driven and Demand Based GrowthDemand Based Growth
SEWA'S MEMBERSHIP GROWTH (1972-2003)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
1972
1977
1982
1987
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
YEAR
ME
MB
ER
S
2001 Earthquake
Rural Expansion
Founded 1972 as labor union for informal sector
SEWA Bank Founded
SEWA’S GoalsSEWA’S Goals
Self Reliance
Full Employment
From 1200 in 1972 to 800000
members in 2004 spread in 14
districts of Gujarat and 7 states
of India
From a union in 1972 to now 18
economic institutions including
the SEWA Trade Facilitation
Center
The Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) The Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)
Present Coverage: 3500 women artisans/ShareholdersPresent Coverage: 3500 women artisans/Shareholders
Planned coverage: 15000 women artisansPlanned coverage: 15000 women artisans
Main objectives: Promoting access to national and global markets to the women Main objectives: Promoting access to national and global markets to the women artisans in the informal sector. artisans in the informal sector.
The major services provided are:
A unique model for poverty alleviationA unique model for poverty alleviation
Marketing (National and International)
State-of art Manufacturing facility
Product development and design
Training and technical assistance
Business development services
Policy initiatives
Unique Model:poor artisans are the owners of their own company.
Designing, producing and marketing rural artisans’ handicrafts for the Designing, producing and marketing rural artisans’ handicrafts for the global market on a sustainable and scaleable basisglobal market on a sustainable and scaleable basis
SEWA TRADE FACILITATION CENTRESEWA TRADE FACILITATION CENTRE
STFC grew rapidly out of need for employment among earthquake affected artisans and their communities.
Post-earthquake scale of operations unsustainable under previous model.
After restructuring, STFC facilities, systems, staff and other resources now capable of expansion.
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006
STFC Sales
Progress Achieved Progress Achieved
Achieved turnover : Rs. 50 million Achieved turnover : Rs. 50 million
Export share: 30%Export share: 30%
Total Employment Generated : 5000 artisans & 200 garment Total Employment Generated : 5000 artisans & 200 garment
workers. workers.
An average monthly income : Rs. 1500/- to Rs. 2000/-An average monthly income : Rs. 1500/- to Rs. 2000/-
STFC is now moving towards bringing in equity from joint venture partners in the private sectors.
Progress Achieved Progress Achieved
Set up a State – of – Art manufacturing infrastructure Vastralaya with Set up a State – of – Art manufacturing infrastructure Vastralaya with
a capacity of 500 pcs./day a capacity of 500 pcs./day
Integrated scattered production base across two districts of Kutch Integrated scattered production base across two districts of Kutch
and Patan with common facility centers.and Patan with common facility centers.
Created a cadre of Grass-root business managers to streamline the Created a cadre of Grass-root business managers to streamline the
entire production process and establish a robust supply chain entire production process and establish a robust supply chain
Provide market access and business development services to other Provide market access and business development services to other
grassroots artisans groups grassroots artisans groups
Constituted a core cell within the Ministry of Textiles to enable Constituted a core cell within the Ministry of Textiles to enable
formulate pro-poor policy. formulate pro-poor policy.
Progress Achieved Progress Achieved
Business partnerships with large retailers such as Fab India, Shoppers Business partnerships with large retailers such as Fab India, Shoppers
Stop, Trent – Westside, Arvind Mills and International Organizations like Stop, Trent – Westside, Arvind Mills and International Organizations like
Novica, Oxfam, Norm Thompson.Novica, Oxfam, Norm Thompson.
Established retail network with own stores in Ahmedabad and New Delhi.Established retail network with own stores in Ahmedabad and New Delhi.
Launched its brand “Launched its brand “HansibaHansiba” as a ‘Fair Trade’, ‘Hand Crafted’ Made in ” as a ‘Fair Trade’, ‘Hand Crafted’ Made in
India product. India product.
Technical Partnership with IFC, ICICI and EXIM Bank to evolve a Technical Partnership with IFC, ICICI and EXIM Bank to evolve a
sustainable business strategy. sustainable business strategy.
Important ImpactsImportant Impacts
Build a model market oriented Collective Enterprise owned by poor informal Build a model market oriented Collective Enterprise owned by poor informal
sector women workers.sector women workers.
Increased access to competitive Global Markets.Increased access to competitive Global Markets.
Sustainable livelihoods for over 10,000 rural women artisans.Sustainable livelihoods for over 10,000 rural women artisans.
Attain an export turnover of Rs. 200 million in 3 years.Attain an export turnover of Rs. 200 million in 3 years.
Empowerment of grassroots women workers Empowerment of grassroots women workers i.t.o. enabling them to understand the i.t.o. enabling them to understand the
changing global environment that influences their work and lives and assert their needs in this changing global environment that influences their work and lives and assert their needs in this
context.context.
Human Capital Benefits : Skill training and managerial capacity building of Human Capital Benefits : Skill training and managerial capacity building of
artisans.artisans.
Quality of Life Benefits: better education, health and social security at the Quality of Life Benefits: better education, health and social security at the
household level and at the work placehousehold level and at the work place
Trade for PoorTrade for Poor
Size and Organization
Market and Information and Access
Finance and Technology
Training and Skill up-gradation
Therefore Low Productivity and
Quality
Uneconomic scales of operation
resulting in lower returns
Difficulty in Marketing and
Products
Results in Low Income,
Powerlessness, lack of voice
Enable poor producers to become
owners and mangers of their
women enterprise
Provide sustainable employment/
alternative livelihoods
Federate groups into collectives
to strengthen bargaining power,
attaining economies of scale and
acquire competitiveness
Strong Linkages with mainstream
market systems
Major Barriers faced by poor grassroots Major Barriers faced by poor grassroots producers :producers :
Create Collective Enterprise to :Create Collective Enterprise to :
Women and Trade:Women and Trade:
• Adequate resource and trade links
• Investments in different sectors of market infrastructure
• Promotion to raise productivity, setting up multi skill develoment schools
• Adequate capital
• suitable market linkage• Better terms of trade
• Institutional facility to develop R & D for product development
• Information technology
• Build up organisational and managerial capacities
• Enabling effectiveness of policies
Recommendations:
• Formation of Trade Council:– To strengthen trade as means for poverty alleviation– Provide a platform to highlight the needs for trade
related infrastructures for the poor and women specially in the informal sector
– Build trade linkages between the formal and the informal
– Encourage the building of institutions that promote women and trade, help build micro-enterprises to provide work and employment security and access to market
Trade Council:
• Proposed Task: – Recommend investments and incentives based on trade
related needs– Would facilitate identifying various trades that would be taken
poor women with respect to globalization and open economics– Undertake research and studies to assess the contribution of
women in growing global trade– Determine needs in terms of infrastructure, technology, R & D– Identify global opportunities in global trade
Comprise of sector specialists, repres. Of grass-roots enterprises, civil society organsiations and repres. From govt and planning
commission
Formation of Trade Security Fund:
• For providing access to fund and investment• To meet the identified needs• To build producer owned enterprises, developing
trade supportive infrastructure• Provide relevant trainings and market linkages