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SEWA's Campaigns

Since its inception, SEWA has been working hard at the various government levels through strong policy interventions and campaigning to protect the rights of the members; which over a period of years has led to recognition of tremendous economic and social contribution at various levels i.e. district/city, state, national and international government, organizations, trades etc. – thus resulting into inclusion in policy and legislation. Some of the note-worthy achievements of SEWA’s strong campaigns and policy interventions are:

SEWA's National Campaigns

The SEWA movement is steadfastly spreading in cities and villages. Under this movement, to bring solutions to issues and challenges of workers like long-term solutions and worker friendly policies, campaigns are initiated by the members under the leadership of members themselves. These campaigns give life to the SEWA movement. Various campaigns based on locality, trade and issues cutting across a large group of members are active in SEWA currently, increasing the collective strength of members. Some of SEWA’s major campaigns of the year 2017 are:

SEWA's Contribution to Informal Economy at International Level

SEWA and the ILO

SEWA’s relations with ILO are very old; especially on informal economy related policy intervention works. Some of the important areas where SEWA has closely worked with ILO are:

  • 1996 – ILO’s C177 – Home workers conventions,
  • C189 – Domestic Workers Conventions
  • C190 – Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019
  • recommendations for supply chains,
  • R204 – Recommendations for Formalizing the Informal Economy,
  • Several working groups on rural workers, construction workers and informal workers and many more.
Global Commission on Future of Work

Recognizing the efforts of SEWA in organizing and empowering the women workers from the informal sector in India and the Global South, The International Labor Organization had nominated SEWA as a commissioner on the high level Global commission on Future of Work, launched in August 2017 as a part of its centenary celebration. Over the course of 18 months, the commission met for several rounds of discussion and the commission came out with a report, which was launched in Geneva on the 22nd Jan 2019.

The theme of the report and several recommendations; especially those in context of the rural workers and the informal workers, resonate with SEWA’s advocacies and philosophy of Anubandh: Building an economy of Nurturance.

SEWA and the UN Food Systems Summit

The UN convened the Food Systems Summit in September 2021 during its General Assembly. The aim of the Summit was to launch bold new actions to deliver progress on all 17 SDGs, each of which relies to some degree on healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems.

The preparatory process for the same had been structured around five themes (Action Tracks – AT). SEWA was nominated as Gender Expert to provide inputs in theme 4: Advance Equitable Livelihoods. As a Gender Expert and representative of women workers from the informal economy, SEWA worked hard to ensure that gender got proper weightage and focus on the preparation and the outcomes of the UN Food Systems Summit.

SEWA's Contribution to Informal Economy at National Level

  • The Unorganized Workers Social Security Act, 2008 : Lobbied rigorously for 25 years. In 2003 the Central Government invited SEWA to be a member of the Second National Commission on Labor to draft the first ever umbrella legislation for workers in the unorganized sector.
  • The Street Vendors (Protection of livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act : SEWA’s effort in 2004 National Policy on Street Vendors guaranteed legal status, social security and legitimate Hawking zones, further in 2012; SEWA also was called upon by the Standing Parliamentary Committee of Urban Development to make suggestions for the Central Law for the Street Vendors.
  • National Rural Livelihood Mission : SEWA’s effort in including the skilled work under NREGs has led to the formation of NRLM
  • National Commission on Enterprises in the Unorganized/ Informal Sector : Member of Advisory Committee
  • Representation in Central Level committees on
    • (1) National Advisory Committee for Minimum Wages,
    • (2) National Social Security Board,
    • (3) National Advisory Council
    • (4) National Advisory Committee on Social Security
  • Representation in Working groups and Committees of the Planning Commission with various Ministries
    • (1) Micro and Small Enterprises
    • (2) Rural Development
    • (3) Weaving
    • (4) Skill Development
    • (5) National Social Security
    • (6) Minimum Wages etc.
    • (7) Key Resource Centrer of Water

Under its Agriculture, Water and Forestry campaign, SEWA represented and voiced out the issues related to small and marginal farmers, share-croppers, leased farmers and land-less laborers, including land sale, direct marketing, inputs etc. to policy makers and stakeholders at various levels i.e. local, national, regional and global. This has led to issuance of I-Cards for farmers, representation in various committees and policy level changes.

SEWA's Contribution to Informal Economy at State Level

  • Urban Informal Economy Welfare Board : Successfully lobbied and representation in Board. The board provides identity card, tool kit skill up gradation trainings and medical benefits.
  • Scheme Enacment of the Street Vendors of Ahmedabad city : SEWA filed a Public Interest Litigation for Street Vendors as a result of which the Scheme of the Street Vendors of Ahmedabad city was enacted based on the National Policy for the Street Vendors. A bio- matrix survey of vendors was carried out the vendors got the legal recognition. Also to regularize street vendors Natural Market, SEWA prepares schematic plans to and lobbies the same with AMC (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation) .Schematic plans for two of the natural market are approved by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and are in execution stage.

SEWA also filed Public Interest litigation for inclusion of the traditional waste pickers in the solid waste management of the city. After much struggle, AMC awarded SEWA door to door waste collection work in 3 slums.