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World Class Cities FOR ALLl!! 

Inclusive Planning For The Working Poor  

International Conference on Urban Planning and Policy Development

Delhi, India

Hosted by StreetNet International, the National Alliance of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), and the Delhi University Dept. of Social Work, from 14-16^th April 2008

Resolution:

The following resolution was unanimously adopted by the general assembly of the International Conference on Urban Planning and Policy Development in Delhi, India:

Having regards to conference

1.The informal sector especially the street vendors, small traders, hawkers are face to face with massive everyday problems, including police and state repressions. After the coming of multinational companies and big national companies in retail business of daily utility commodities makes the life of these poor and marginalized sections of society more vulnerable and miserable.

This international conference resolves to oppose the entry of multinational and big national companies to start the retail business and calls for international campaign and movement against these companies. Hence, we urge governments:

To stop giving license to them to open retail counters for sale of vegetables, fruits and other daily utilities.

2. The development of cities cannot be viewed by better infrastructure, big buildings, roads and flyovers, but must be measured by the life of common and poor people because they are the part of the cities and they contribute immensely towards economy, especially street vendors and hawkers. Needless to say that without them we cannot imagine inclusive cities. However, in recent times in the name of beautifications their markets are being displaced and they loose their employment and source of livelihood.

Hence this international conference urge for the government –

To give representation of organizations of street vendors and hawkers in the urban planning programmes.

We are not opposing the growth of cities but are simply asking for the building of viable markets for these sections and save employment rights of poor people.

3. The street vendors, small traders and hawkers are contributing to the total GDP of countries. Their contribution to economy cannot be ignored. But in the present scenario they are not legally protected and are always harassed by police and municipal corporations.

Hence to protect their livelihood we urge the governments to enact laws in favor of them:

                     i.            Provide identity cards and license to them

                   ii.            Formulate viable hawkers zone

                  iii.            No illegal evictions

                iv.            Protect them under social security programme

                 v.            Provide basic facilities in their markets

                vi.            Provide financial assistance and employment training for them

              vii.            Develop proper mechanism to implement the law

4. The sharing of experiences help us resolve that all over world the problems of street vendors, hawkers, small traders is more or less same. So we should fight globally on their issues.

We also resolve that to solve their problems it is necessary –

         i.    To form their organization at each layers such as at local level, at national level, at international level,

       ii.    To build their capacities to bargain and negotiate with state and local authorities

      iii.    To strengthen their organization and give support from national and international level

    iv.      And if any organization from any country has any problem we support them globally

5. All the problems of street vendors, small traders, hawkers are outcome of present economic and political system of countries across the globe wherein the politico-economic power is in the hands of few rich people of society, who eventually control the regimes.

Hence, we resolve that we must intervene in the political process of our country

We must be part of law making institutions

Our ultimate goal is to have that government which is pro- common and poor people and to break this political and economical system which is responsible for this problem.

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