| WE, THE SELF EMPLOYED SEWA'S electronic newsletter |
 | |||
|
SEWA |
| WE, THE SELF EMPLOYED SEWA'S electronic newsletter |
| |||
|
SEWA |
May Day Demand: Rural Employment Guarantee Act
|
||||||
|
The Government of India has proposed the Rural Employment Guarantee Act to guarantee 100 days employment for families in rural areas. This Act has still not been introduced in Parliament and there is a great deal of debate about it. SEWA strongly supports this Act with employment proposals more oriented towards developing the varied skills and employment potential in the villages, and the implementation decentralized and as far as possible carried out through local organisations.
The main importance of this Act is that it is a good social safety net. The problem faced by a large number of people in the rural areas is the lack of employment during certain times of the year. Many communities in such areas have to habitually migrate seasonally to other parts of the country in search of work. This annual migration is a painful and disruptive process - it destroys the fabric of the community, the family lives of the migrants, the possibility for education of the children and perhaps worst of all, the possibility for development of their own area. These forced migrants are subject to some of the worst exploitative conditions of work and living conditions. Those left behind do not have enough to eat or the barest money for other basic necessities, and although there may be no famine, there is surely a slow malnutrition and starvation. Even when communities do not migrate they suffer a great amount of distress at such times. Their food intake is reduced, the children are withdrawn from schools, they go into debt, they are unable to attend to their health problems. At such times there is no safety net, no social security system, which would help to relieve their distress.
Most people in the rural areas work in the unorganized or informal sector. The REGA is an instrument whereby poor people in the rural areas can begin to organise themselves to ask demand work. However, the Act as it is now framed will not create full employment nor become sustainable because employment being provided under the Act, is only physical labour-mainly digging earth. This Act will become much more powerful if it is viewed in a different way and used as a generator of employment. The Act should promote skilled work. Most of workers in the rural areas do have skills by which they earn their livelihoods. Promoting these will enable the villages to develop and bring new opportunities to the villages. This could include: Work linked to agriculture such as agro-processing, food processing, watershed development; artisan work such as weaving, printing, leather work, carpentry, plumbing; services such as teaching, health work, child care, old age care, has a growing demand and can be included; works of public interest can be sponsored by government such as environmental work like nursery raising tree-plantation, cleaning campaign, recycling, water harvesting, operation and maintenance of water resources such as hand pumps, pipelines.
SEWA the dry, desert districts of Gujarat, people experience repeated disasters, like droughts, floods, cyclone, earthquake SEWA demanded both from the State and Central Government to include home based craftwork like embroidery, appliqué work as in the official drought relief programme. In 2000, for the first time, SEWA was asked to cover 5000 artisan households under drought relief, programme. In 2000, for the first time, SEWA was asked to cover 5000 artisan households under drought relief, giving them a minimum of 25 days of work in a month and Rs. 1500 per month. SEWA could successfully implement the 'Livelihood Security Progamme' because of the recognition of women's home-based skill as 'work'. In 2001, SEWA up scaled its production and over 15,000 artisan households under the 'Livelihood Security Programme' - the traditional skill of the women and men, could organise guaranteed employment for 25 days in a month.
The work to be given under REGA should be planned locally. Often employment at the local level can be met by fulfilling a local need such as for irrigation by creating local water harvesting structures, or leveling and clearing waste land or three plantations and tending in forest areas, or mining local stone and so on. It can also be something that meets local needs such as toilets or health center or schoolhouse or drinking water. The decisions for which works are to be taken up should be decided at the local level. The Gram Samitis (village committees) should prepare the village development plans cost estimates of such works and the budget could be allocated to the Samitis.
This Act is aimed towards the rural workers in the unorganised sector. One of the reasons why these workers have not programme. In 2000, for the first time, SEWA was asked to cover 5000 artisan households under drought relief, giving them a minimum of 25 days of work in a month and Rs. 1500 per month. SEWA could successfully implement the 'Livelihood Security Progamme' because of the recognition of women's home-based skill as 'work'. In 2001, SEWA up scaled its production and over 15,000 artisan households under the 'Livelihood Security Programme' - the traditional skill of the women and men, could organise guaranteed employment for 25 days in a month. The work to be given under REGA should be planned locally. Often employment at the local level can be met by fulfilling a local need such as for irrigation by creating local water harvesting structures, or leveling and clearing waste land or three plantation and tending in forest areas, or mining local stone and so on. It can also be something that meets local needs such as toilets or health center or schoolhouse or drinking water. The decisions for which works are to be taken up should be decided at the local level. The Gram Samitis (village committees) should prepare the village development plans cost estimates of such works and the budget could be allocated to the samitis. Memorandum Submitted to Minister of Labour
Self Employed Women's Association is working with informal sector workers in 10 districts Madhya Pradesh for last 20 years and has so far organized 175,000 women workers mainly engaged in beedi and incense stick rolling, readymade garments stitching, tendu leaf plucking and construction. SEWA MP is the single largest and strongest trade union of informal sector workers in Madhya Pradesh.
The Government if Madhya Pradesh formed a task force in 2001 under the chairmanship of Smt. Renana Jhabvala. Smt. Manorama Joshi was included as a member in 11-members task force. The task force submitted its report to the Government of MP in 2002. On the recommendation of the task force report, Government of MP formulated the Bill which was approved the Union Government in 2004. SEWA MP congratulates the Government of Madhya Pradesh for this historic step but suggests:
Set up a Welfare Board for informal sector workers. In this Board proper reperesentation should be given to male and female workers and labour organisation. Social security benefits like- health, education, insurance, housing and employment opportunities should be included under the. The benefits of law should reach to the informal sector workers of MP, hence it demands the quick and simple implementation of the law. Every worker in MP should get identity card.
Hands Across Borders: Women Home based Workers Show The way
VISIBLE WORK, INVISIBLE HANDS was the theme of the South Asian Home based workers Mela(fair) organised at Burney Garden, Lahore in Pakistan by "Aurat Foundation" between 8 to 10th April. It was a Mela aiming at bringing Home based workers directly to the market by eliminating middleman and reaching directly to the consumer. Women home based workers from all over Pakistan - from Sind to Kashmir, came together, many of them traveling out of their homes for the first time and together launched Home Net
There were 29 products stalls from Home Net Pakistan where 27 organisations from Pakistan participated, four stalls from Home Net Bangladesh, Home Net India, Home Net Nepal and Home Net Srilanka. There were 7 information stalls. The Mela was a resounding success. Commercially, the home based workers were able to earn much more selling their goods directly to the enthusiastic buyers. More importantly, they were able to test the markets and undertsand the needs of consumers. This was enhanced by debriefing sessions where home based workers discussed the markets, the availability of raw material, design, quality, production, capacity, stocktaking, and costing. Equally important was the quite amazing feeling of the home based workers, the feeling that although they came from different countries, from India, from Pakistan, and other South Asia countries, they shared the same cultures, the same problems and could come together to make a brighter future. CONTENTS | ||||||
| SEWA News | ||||||
|
Celebrations | ||||||
| SEWAscope | ||||||
|
| ||||||
|
SEWA News SEWA spreads light in the lives of its members
A participatory effort of Mahila Housing SEWA Trust, Ahmedabad Electricity Company and slum dwellers brought electricity to 2222 houses. Not only the slum dwellers but also Electricity Company has benefited from this effort. Legal connections have fetched good amount of revenue and theft of electricity has also been stopped. Women workers can now work and children can study till late in the night.
SEWA visits the Trade unions USA
The AFL-CIO is the national trade union federation of America with a membership of 1.3 million union members.AFL-CIO had invited representatives of trade union organising workers from different countries. The delegation included representatives from SEWA, Home Net Thailand, and SEWU in South Africa. Jaitunben, member of executive committee and incense stick roller and Chhayaben, co-ordinator of Baroda district, represented SEWA. The delegation discussed and shared their experiences of struggle with member uninos of heads and organisers of AFL-CIO.
Wages rose...
15 women workers of winding factory of Odhav, an industrial suburb of Ahmedabad, got an increased wage of Rs. 55 instead of Rs. 30 per day. They also got an increased bonus of Rs.1200 compared to the previous one of Rs.400 to 500. The increased wage includes an increment of Rs.5 for commutation. They are also allowed to work for 10 minutes in their break for which they will be paid 45 paisa extra.
Reading of two of the SEWA plays "Gandhi" and "Puppet Show" was done on World Theater Day at Ahmedabad. Mr.Hasmukhbhai Baradi had trained daughters of SEWA members to act these street plays based on the themes of insurance and AIDS. The teams of 18 girls have so far performed more than 400 shows of these street plays in different villages and areas.
SEWA health worker honoured
The Municipal Corporation Of Ahmedabad honoured health worker of SEWA, Chandrikaben, for her excellent work under DOT programme on World T.B. Day
Exhibition of Non Violent Silk
Gujarat State Mahila SEWA Cooperatives Federation, and Central Silk Technology Research Institute, Central Silk Board Bangalore organised an exhibition on silk handicraft. The exhibition was held at Kalakruti - a SEWA outlet for handicrafts. The objective of the exhibition was to generate employment opportunities for handicrafts workers and creating awareness about the new arrivals in silk. The type of silk during the production of which the silk worm is not killed is called non-violent silk. This variety is made in Samala Village near Limbdi in Surendranagar District.
Venders' goods worth Rs 250,000 released
Vendors of Ahmedabad city are still struggling with Municipal Corporation for a place of two baskets. Their goods are seized by the pick-up van of Municipal Corporation. Whenever such an incident takes place, SEWA city union comes into action. Its leaders reach at the spots request the authorities, or pay the fine but they get the possessions released. In the month of April the Union got possessions of vendors worth 2.5 to 3 lacs released from municipal authorities.
Celebrations
|
||||||
|
| ||||||
|
| ||||||
