Building Solidarity and Sisterhood for Economic Empowerment: some experiences of the Self-Employed Women s Association

Transcription

1 Building Solidarity and Sisterhood for Economic Empowerment: some experiences of the Self-Employed Women s Association By : Mirai Chatterjee, Self-Employed Women s Association, (SEWA),India Key note speech presented at Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) meeting, Mahe Island, Seychelles. 24 th -25 th August,

2 Rahima, a basket and mat weaver and SHG leader, from Kisarawe, Tanzania. 2

3 Phumzile has organized traditional bead workers into their own cooperative, in Durban, South Africa. She sold their products in India. 3

4 Mariam, an Ethiopian weaver and member Of Organisation for Women in Self- Employment (WISE), in Addis Ababa, sold her products in Delhi s craft bazaar. 4

5 Rupaben, Delhi, India Rupaben, an embroiderer and manager of Ruaab Women Artisan s Company, Delhi, India, hosted her Ethiopian sisters. 5

6 Size and Nature of the Informal Economy 80% of workers in non-agricultural employment in Africa are informal 93% of all workers in India are informal 6

7 Informal Women Workers 84 % of women in Sub-Saharan Africa are informal workers(in nonagricultural employment). 94% of women in India are informal workers( including agriculture) Engaged in both paid and unpaid work, within and outside their homes. They are manual labourers and service providers, home-based workers, small producers and streetvendors Lack work security, social security ( child care, insurance, maternity benefits, health care, pension, water and sanitation) 7

8 Self-Employed Women s Association, SEWA Founded in 1972 by Ela Bhatt in Ahmedabad, India Current membership: 1.9 million in 14 states Organised into 3000 organisations: unions, cooperatives, producer companies, SHGs Sister organisations in South Asia, South-East Asia, Africa 8

9 SEWA s MAIN GOALS Full Employment Work Security Income Security Food Security Social Security Self- Reliance SOCIAL SECURITY: Health Care Insurance Child Care Housing Pension

10 SETU Africa Aim: to support and promote women s economic empowerment in 5 countries South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal Focus : microfinance, microinsurance, microenterprise, capacity-building and health and child care for women s economic empowerment. Methodology: Country visits Needs assessment workshop with partners, local organisations. Indian grassroots leaders, visits African grassroots leaders exposure visits to India; in-depth training by SEWA In-country research Development of action plan in each country Supported by Government of India; first partnership of this kind with grassroots women s organisations. 10

11 Lessons from Setu Africa 1. Livelihood is central Needs: working capital, access to markets (women-to-women trading), capacity-building inputs (marketing, management, leadership training) Action: marketing in crafts bazaars, design development workshops, women producers trading networks, linking with private sector Challenges: customs duties, capacity-building for processes involved 11

12 2. Integrated Financial Services needed Services needed: savings and credit, insurance, pension, financial literacy Action: policy advocacy for inclusive and comprehensive financial services and doorstep banking, women s banks Challenges: regulatory barriers, capacitybuilding of local women, transaction costs 12

13 3. Support Services Need: health care, child care, maternity benefits, housing, water and sanitation, energy (fuel and lighting) Action: setting up child care centres 13

14 4.Capacity-building inputs to strengthen their livelihoods, organisations Need: Training on organising and building own organizations; leadership, management; Cooperative training; technical training (organic farming, developing seed banks, marketing); IT training Action: Exposure visits-cum-training; cooperative training 14

15 5.Enabling policies and programmes by governments Need: Dialogue, exchanges, linkages between government officials and women Action: Workshops brought together women and government officials, sometimes for the first time; new linkages developed. 15

16 Four pillars for Economic Empowerment & Self-Reliance Financial services and asset-building, and in women s name Social security--health care, child care, insurance, pension and housing with basic amenities Capacity-building to lead, run own organisations and enterprises; knowledge and skill-building Voice and representation for changing laws, policies 16

17 Recommendations 1.Creating platforms for women in the IORA countries to interact, exchange experiences and strategies. 2. Linkages with government, private sector for markets, skill development 17

18 Thanks 18