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StreetNet International Affiliates 

 

Associacao dos Operadores e Trabalhadores do Sector Informal (ASSOTSI),Mozambique

Avenida Olof Palme, No 245, Maputu, Mozambique. Tel (258) 21320288 Fax (258) 21309566 e-mail: sintiquigra@teledata.mz

ASSOTSI was formed in 1999. 

Membership: City-based alliance of membership-based organisations of market vendors, hawkers and informal sector workers. Members pay monthly subscription. A register is maintained of members. Number of members - 4256. 

Aims: 

  • Promotion and encouragement of unity within operators and workers in informal sector; 
  • Promotion and defence of their rights and interests;
  • Contribute to organisation of the informal sector and improve the quality of services. 

Office bearers: President - Ramos Marrengula, Women's Co-ordinator - Cecilda Mulungo, General Secretary - Jose Ubisse.

AZIEA (Alliance of Zambian Informal Economy Associations) 

PO Box 20652, Oxford Rd, Solidarity House, Kitwe, Zambia. Tel (2602) 222607  Fax (260) 2222607. E-mail kashiwalameck@yahoo.com

AZIEA: Report, 2007, By General Secretary, Lameck Kashiwa

AZIEA was formed on October 17th 2002. 

Membership: Open to street and market vendors, hawkers, and informal economy workers in Zambia. AZIEA is a representative organization of workers in the informal economy with 13 informal economy associations representing a total of 1, 403, 025 individual workers (47 000 being street vendor and market vendors). It was formed with the objective of strengthening the voice in order to protect members’ interests after being in existence without any formal representation. Membership fees are paid annually. 

Objectives:

  •  Organise the unorganised;
  •  Educate members on their civil and workers’ rights;
  •  Fight for recognition by advocating for bargaining forums between government and informal  economy workers’ representatives;
  •  Advocate for the change of policies and laws that are unfriendly to informal economy workers. 

To meet the above objectives, the association carries different activities under Lobbying and advocacy targeting members, government officials and officers, civil society organisations, unions, and the public. 

Office bearers: President - Elvis Nkandu, General Secretary - Lameck Kashiwa, National Co-ordinator - Mike Chungu.

CNTG Confederation Nationale des Travailleurs de Guinee (CNTG)

BP 237 Bourse Du Travail, Conakry, Guinea. Tel (224) 60332095 (224) 64346997  Fax (224) 415044                            e-mail: madeleinetounk@yahoo.fr

CNTG: Report June/July, 2008

CNTG was formed in 1960.

Membership: CNTG organises street and market traders and hawkers among its other members in the formal and informal sectors, and the private and public sectors of the economy. Organises countrywide.  Number of members -                     6 500. Members pay an annual registration fee. A membership register is kept. 

Objectives:

  • To offer financial assistance to members ie  finance traders with micro-credit for purchase of eggs and soaps; 
  • Training. 

Office bearers: General Secretary - Rabiyatou Seyra Diallo; Secretary for Informal Economy - Madeleine Tounkara; Women's Committee - Maiama Kesso Diallo.

 

CNTS (Confederation National des Travailleurs du Senegal)

BP 937, Dakar, Senegal  Tel. (221)776542114. (221)338210491 (221)776538208 Fax. (221)338217771 e-mail: cnts@orange.sn;  fatoumatabintouyafa@yahoo.fr

CNTS: Report, 2007

CNTS: Report on litigation and collective bargaining activities in Senegal, 2007

Formed in 1968.

Membership: National trade union organising informal economy workers, including market vendors, street vendors and hawkers. Number of members - 3 000.

Aims and objectives: 

  • Defend the interest and rights of members;
  • Participate in the economic and social development of the country.

Vision:

  •  Work for the creation of decent work opportunities;
  •  Unemployment insurance for retrenched workers;
  •  Establish national health insurance fund for informal economy workers. 

Office bearers: Secretary General - Mody Guiro; Informal Economy Organiser - Ngone' Thioure Diop;  Women's Organisation - Fatou Binetou Yaffa.

 

CTCP (Confederacion de trabajadores por Cuenta Propia), Nicaragua

Optica Nicaraguenese, 2 Cuadreas Arriba Y Media  Cuadra al sur  Residencial Bolonia, Managua,  Nicaragua Tel. (5052)663065 Fax. (5052)662896 e-mail:  adrianmartinezr@yahoo.com; orlandom_ctcp@yahoo.es

CTCP-FNT: Report 2007 

CTCP was formed in 2000.

Membership: National alliance of membership-based organisations of street vendors, market vendors and hawkers, co-operatives and associations of own-account workers in the informal economy. 60% of members are informal traders. It has 28 736 members.

Office bearers: Secretary General- Adrian Martinez Rodriguez; Secretary Organisation - Orlando Mercado Mendoza; Treasurer - Ernesto Ortiz Aguirre; Secretary Commission for Women and Children - Flor de Maria Avellán.  

Click here for website CTCP

Eastern Cape Street Vendors' Alliance (ECSVA), South Africa

29 Nelson Mandela Road, eMthatha, South Africa. Cellphone: 0835741129 

ECSVA: Report 2007 by General Secretary, F.J. Jalile

ECSVA was formed in 2001. 

Membership: City based alliance of membership-based organisations of market vendors, street vendors and hawkers in city areas of Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Number of Members - 2960. Members pay annual subscription fee.

Objectives:

  • To combine street vendors of the Eastern Cape and to speak with one voice;
  • To fight for their rights;
  • Is to open the doors to Government for street vendors, hawkers and organisations involved in informal economy organisation. 

Office bearers: Chairperson - Fundile Johnson Jalile. 

FEDEVAL (Federacion Departmental de Vendedores Ambulantes de Lima), Peru

Jiron Horacio Arteaga, no 1392 E, Jesus Maria, Lima, Perú, Tel. (959) 64792 Fax. (959) 4315412 e-mail: streetnetfedeval@hotmail.com

FEDEVAL was formed in 1979. 

Membership: Street and market vendor associations in Lima. Among the grassroots federations which belong to FEDEVAL are FEDITAR, a district federation of street vendor workers in Rimac, FEDITAS and the District Federation of Street Vendor Workers of San Martin de Porras. Represents street vendor associations of the Lima Metro. It affiliated to Central Unitaria (CUT) in 2000. Number of Members -       10 202. 

Objectives:

  • Promotes  modernization and formalisation of street trade, and creation of self-managed markets;
  • Organisation and representation of street vendors, and improvement of their working conditions;
  • Development of enterprises for informal traders.  

Office bearers: Secretary General - Manuel Sulca; Vice - Secretary General - Marcelino Flores Ciriaco; Organising Secretary - Segundo Albites Lezcano; Sec of Defence - Jonás Montalván Bendezu. 

  

FENASEIN (Federation Nationale des Syndicats), Niger

BP 388, Niamey, Niger. Tel: (227) 20753131 (227) 96980930  e-mail: szhbb@yahoo.fr; fenasein@yahoo.fr

Formed on 27 December 2006. 

Membership: National federation of informal economy trade unions and covers many sectors mostly artisans and includes, stevedores/dockers, taxi workers, commerce, street and market vendors, mechanics, building, wood and forestry, clothing and garment workers/tailers. Members - 11 082.

Aims and Objectives:

  • Improvement of living and working conditions of members of affiliates to achieve emancipation and social wellbeing;
  • Unite and organise and safeguard the freedom to organise and to encourage the advancement of  members;
  • Ensure that the economy is organised to serve the people.
  • Promote the social economy and solidarity.

Vision and Mission: Contribute to the promotion of trade unionism that is democratic, builds freedom and social justice and human rights.

Office-bearers: Secretary General- Zada Foumakoye; Deputy Secretary General- Souly Zeinabou; Secretary Finance-   Boubacar Salifou.

 

FOSSIEH (Sindicato nacional de Vendedores Informales Ambulantes y Estacionares), Honduras

3ra Avenue, 6 y 7 Calle Barrio el Centro 2da Planta del Amacen el Ahorro, Honduras. Tel: 504 99298456 oficina (504)5206076  e-mail: eugeniorodriguez@yahoo.com; eugeniorodriguez@sulanet.net; lucianobarreramonroy@yahoo.es

Formed in 2001

Members: National trade union of informal economy workers. Most of the members are street and market vendors. It has 32 organisations affiliated and 55 000 members, 60% of whom are women.

Objectivos: 

Improve our affiliate’s organizational skills, to advise, train and support the actions of our affiliates to defend their rights, to maintain independence and political autonomy from big enterprise and government.

Institutional Mission; to organise, unify and consolidate all social partners in our sector, the own account workers.  

We are already making advances for the benefit of our affiliates, like a special law for our sector, building of markets, making a rotating fund and promoting a social protection plan

Office bearers: President - Eugenio Rodriguez Obando; Treasurer - Vilma Supaya Arevalo Cruz. 

FNOTNA (La Federación Nacional de Organizaciones de Trabadores No Asalariados) (CROC), Mexico

Calle Morelos No 141Entre, calle 8 y Calle 10  Centro Historico, CP 87300, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Tel. (5255)52083866 Fax.(5201)8183435260 E-mail: delvallecroc@latinmail.com; gilva_233@hotmail.com; Gvazquez@Fnotnacroc.Com

Formed in 1982

Membership: National alliance of organisations of non-salaried or own-account workers.  70% of members are informal, market and mobile traders. Informal sector workers form part of the agricultural and forestry sectors, in mining, manufacturing (crafts, etc), as well as the construction sector.  However, where this sector has the most impact is on services provided, micro trading, street vending, transport of goods and passengers by taxis, various types of repairs, domestic workers; amongst many others, in these type of activities, capital is non-existent or very limited and quick income is obtained, although this income can hardly be considered a product of entrepreneurial  activity. There are 7000 members.

Objective: Organise non-salaried or own account workers.

Activities: The actions of FNOTNA have been directed to providing social security, housing, life insurance and funeral insurance, as well as ways of accessing credit, to non-salaried workers.

These services are paid by the non-salaried workers affiliated to FNOTNA, by means of agreements which reduce the cost of obtaining these services, however there is a long way to go with regard to protective mechanisms with costs that can be afforded by the workers themselves, such as: sickness subsidies; accident compensation; annual vacations and maternity leave – these are practically non-existent for workers in the informal sector.

Within FNOTNA it is recognised that the opportunities for generating union strategies for this sector are still limited, although there is a great need to protect the labour and social rights of workers in the informal sector.

Office bearers: Secretary General - Gilberto Vasquez Muro; Secretary International Relations- Herhandez Hoyuela; Juan Castill Paz - Executive Committee.    

click here for website: FNOTNA

FUTRAND (Federacion Unica de Trabajadores no Dependientes), Venezuela

Av Este 2, Edificio Torre Los Caobos, P.B. Los Caobos, Caracas, Venezuela. Tel: 0212-8613954 e-mail: blanller@yahoo.es

FUTRAND: Report by  Blanca Llerena, General Secretary

Formed in 28 November 1992

Membership: National trade union organising street and market vendors and hawkers. There are 3992 members. 

Objectives: Inclusion of social (informal) economy workers into the system of social security and of extension of the normal protection of workers and the defence of the rights of children and adolescents in the labour market. 

Has called for municipal reforms to introduce a system in which:

  1. The municipality creates a post which will oversee the running, promotion and organisation of markets;
  2. End discrimination against market and street traders;
  3. Creation of new markets and commercial centres;
  4. Create an ordinance which will create a forum for discussion of city policy with market and street traders and other informal economy workers dependent on public spaces to earn a living; 
  5. Establishment of an office to regulate the informal economy and its needs.

Office bearers: President - Aida Martinez;  Secretary General - Blanca Llerena; Secretary of Organisation - Vicente Carins.

 

Ghana StreetNet Alliance

C/o Ghana TUC Informal Economy Desk, P.O BOX AN 15069 ACCRA - NORTH, Ghana. Tel. (233) 24761128 (233) 24564378  (233) 243156533  Fax. (233) 21662272  jubrafa@yahoo.com; yemoquaye@yahoo.com; stnetghana@yahoo.com

Ghana StreetNet Alliance: Report by acting co-ordinator Juliana-Afari Brown

Formed in 2003 

Membership: National alliance of membership-based organisations of street vendors, traders and hawkers. Member organisations are 10 of the Ghana Trade Union Congress' 17 national unions involved in informal sector trading activities and the Centre for Informal Activities and Development. Other members are: Makola Market Traders Union; Takoradi/Sekondi Market Traders Association, Ghana Young Christian Workers, Street Food Vendors Association and other associations. Plan to cover all of Ghana's 10 regions. The Alliance's vision is to protect and promote the rights of street and market traders. There are 5 810 members.

Objectives:

  • Expand organisation at district, regional and national levels;
  • Build capacity and leadership of women;
  • Build base of information on street traders' numbers and situation;
  • Document and disseminate information on effective strategies for promoting and protecting the rights of street traders;
  • To prioritise the interests of low income street vendors;
  • Advocacy efforts, national campaigns to promote policies that can contribute to improving the lives of members. 

Office bearers: Acting President - Yamoteley Quaye; Acting Co-ordinator - Juliana B Afari-Brown;  Treasurer - Kadijah Nundoo; Financial Secretary - Janet Annum.

  

KENASVIT (Kenya National Alliance of Street Vendors and Informal Traders)

PO Box 2015, Nakuru, Kenya. Tel. 254512215651   254735389270 e-mail: Kenasvit2005@yahoo.com; simonnasieku@yahoo.com

 KENASVIT: ANNUAL REPORT 2007 Compiled by Peter Odhiambo Okello, National Secretary

KENASVIT REPORT ON MICRO SMALL ENTERPRISE BILL 2006 Compiled by Peter Odhiambo Okello National Secretary  KENASVIT

Formed in 2005.  

Membership: National alliance of urban street vendor and informal trader' associations. Street vendors and informal traders become members of the Alliance through their urban alliances. There are 6 050  members drawn from 140 local associations that form the seven urban alliance: Mombasa, Machakos; Migori; Nakuru; Kisumu; Eldoret and Nairobi. The Alliance's organisational structure is: National Executive Committee; Management Committee; Urban Alliances Committees and Local Association Committees. 

Vision: The vision of the Alliance is to transform street vending and informal businesses into corporate establishments. 

Mission: The Mission of the Alliance is to organise and empower street vendors and informal traders in order to improve their business though training, access to credit, dialogue with local authorities and other relevant authorities on appropriate by-laws and policies that give recognition to, and bring an end to harassment and discrimination against traders. 

Aims and objectives:

  • Fight for full recognition and support of street vendors and informal traders;
  • Ensure equal representation of women and men in leadership positions; 
  • Represent street vendors and informal traders national and internationally. 

Office bearers: Chairperson - Simon Sangale Nasieku; Secretary - Peter O Okello; Vice Secretary General - Bernard Maingi Isika; Treasurer - Julius Juma; Organising Secretary - Reuben Oraba; Vice- Organising Secretary - Rose Simon.

Khatang Tema Baitsukuli Association, Lesotho

Care of NURAW Po Box 15851, Maseru, Lesotho. Tel. (266) 22314463  (266) 22311791 Mobile 58862350 E-mail  lteko@trc.org.ls khatangtema.baitsukuli@gmaail.com

KHATANG TEMA BAITSOKOLI: REPORT 2007

Formed in October 2000.

Membership: The association is open to street and market traders and informal economy workers. It organises in 10 districts of Lesotho. Membership - 507 paid up members. 

Aims and objectives: 

  • Buying of commodities in bulk to reduce expenses eg transport; 
  • Building members' wholesale markets;
  • Building one team to fight for members' rights; 
  • Spread the association to districts. 

Vision and mission statement:

  • To sell and market fruits and vegetables and to provide meals and clothing along the streets;
  • To provide training and education to our members to enable them to run their business; 
  • To build the economy and develop the families of the entire membership. 

Leadership: Chairperson - Tsolo Lebitsa; Vice Chairperson - Motlatsi Kobeli; Secretary - Mamosebatho Motseko; Vice Secretaries - Mateboho Koepe/ Remaketsi Phangoa; Public Relations - Ben Motseko; Treasurer - Matsepo Ratlhako.

 

KOSC (Korean Street Vendors' Confederation), South Korea

4th Floor WangSan Bldg, Jegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea.  Tel: (822)22320684/5/6  Fax:(822) 22320687 e-mail Kosc_inter@hotmail.com  

KOSC: Report, 2007

Formed in October 1988.

Membership:  Street and market vendors. Organised by regions (a region has more than 50 members) and branches (less than 50 members). KOSC was formed after street vendors held a Convention to Protect Street Vendors' Right to Live in Seoul in 1988. The KOSC is composed of more than 30 local federations which have their own branches, with 5 681 members. Members pay their fees to branches, branches pay a portion to their local federations, and local federations to the centre of the KOSC. 

Objectives:

  • To stop the repression against street traders and obtain the  legal rights of street vendors to earn a living;

  • To stop the repression against street traders and obtain the  legal rights of street vendors to earn a living;

  • To build street vendors' unity and the legal recognition of NFSVK; 

  • To obtain free medical service for the poor; 

  • To obtain social security for the elderly;

  • To acquire permanent rental housing for street vendors without homes; 

  • To acquire a cost of living allowance from the government for those selling their goods for less than 180 days or who earn below minimum cost of living; 

  • To realise the free education for the children of street vendors; 

  • To acquire free credit as street vendors' seed money from the government; 

  • To eliminate all laws, institutions and traditional practices which oppress street vendors   and deny them their right to free political activity; 

  • To eliminate underemployment which continuously creates street vendors and the poor;

  • To support social responsibility of street vendors ie 1 stall for 1 family, prohibiting the buying or selling of a stall, cleaning near the stall; 

  • To work for the democratisation and unification of Korea and progress of the society. 

Office Bearers: Chairperson - Lee Pil-du; Co-ordinator - Shin Hie-Chul.  

Click here for KOSC website
 

LDFC (Ligue pour les Droit de la Femme Congolaise)

41 Avenue colonel Tshatshi, Quartier Maviokele, Commune de Kimbanseke, Kinshasa, RD Congo. Tel. (243)990129389       (243)898955440 (243)997889729  Fax.(01)4259551456  e-mail: angekip@yahoo.fr; ldfc_04@yahoo.fr

LDFC: REPORT, 2007 by General Secretary, Angélique Kipulu Katani

Formed on 15th May 1999.  

Membership: The LDFC is an associations of hawkers, street and market vendors as well as workers in the informal sector. It represents 1142 members in 4 provinces which are: the city of Kinshasa, Bandundu, South-Kivu and Bas-Kongo.

Aims: 

  • To effectively contribute to the defense of women and young girls, to inform them of their rights so that they can benefit them;
  •  To assist women small scale farmers who grow vegetables, street vendors, small scale traders etc. as well as young mothers and unskilled, to enable them to take care of themselves.

Objectives

In a spirit of active solidarity, LDFC aims to:

  • Empower women to know and defend their rights;
  • Help woman to discover her potential and exploit them for her betterment;
  • Assist our beneficiaries to create and manage income-generating activities;
  • Assist poor and destitute young girls through creating income-generating activities;
  • Promote equality and respect of human capacities at work;
  •  Fight any form of discrimination against street vendors;
  •  Promote the participation and integration of woman in decision making structures.

Vision:  

That a Congolese Woman shall be able to promote the empowerment, protection and defense of her rights but also to be able to participate in decision making at all levels.

Mission:  

To promote, protect and defend the rights of the Congolese woman, so as to ensure her harmonious development.

Scope of Intervention: 

a.   Defense of woman’s rights and support to democracy: To train the trainers on rights, gender and election.  

b.  Community Development (Direct fight against poverty): Training on new farming skills and techniques.

Office-bearers: Secretary General - Angélique Kipulu Katani; Administrative Secretary - François Munganga Kumbi; Organisation and leadership - Anne Rivinis Matondo Nzalahadu; Projects - Ferdinand Masuakay; Treasurer - Adèle Mundele Sumanzey.  

 

 

MUFIS (Malawi Union for the Informal Sector)

PO Box 5094, Limbe, Malawi. Tel.(265)9942934 ) (265)9329366  e-mail: dchimombo@yahoo.com, mufissecretariate@yahoo.com, mchiwambala@hotmail.com

MUFIS: 2007 Annual Report submitted by Davies Chimombo, General Secretary

Formed in 2002.

Membership: Street and market vendors, hawkers and informal sector workers. Of its members, 1400 are street vendors, 500 market vendors and 150 hawkers (mobile vendors). Members pay monthly membership fees. Paid up members - 5 000.

Objectives: 

  • Protect the rights and interests of members;
  • Encourage full participation by members in the union; promote legislation that is in members' interests;
  • To affiliate with both local and international organisations that have similar objectives to MUFIS. 

Vision: 

  • To assist, represent and educate its members to further their businesses. 

Office bearers: President - Ken Williams Mhango; Vice-President - Patricia Chimbayo; General Secretary - Davies Chimombo.

NASVI (National Association of Street Vendors of India)

NIDAN, 3rd Floor Sudama Bhawan, Boring Rd, Patna 800 001, India. Tel (91) 6122577589 Fax (91) 6122570705 Cell:(91)9970060407 Off:(91)2024455260  nasvinet@hotmail.com; aspatna_2000@yahoo.com; sharmalenet@gmail.com

Formed in September 1998

Membership: Registered under Societies registration Act of 1860, NASVI constitution provides for: membership to Trade Unions, community based organizations, NGOs and professionals like Lawyers, Teacher, Doctors who have been associated with the cause of street vendors. Membership based organizations contribute 50 paise per vendors member of that organization annually. NGOs and individuals pay Rs. 100 annually. Only membership-based organizations have the right to vote. Open to all vendor organisations. 226 organizations representing vendors from 18 states. Members - 50 100.

Objectives: 

  • Was formed at the initiative of SEWA to work for the formulation of a National policy for street vendors; 

  • Lobbying for policy changes at city, state and national levels; initiating dialogue to find solutions to problems in which there is direct communication between street vendors' representatives and the authorities; 

  • Organising meetings in cities and towns of India and building local networks on issues where interventions are necessary ie; hawking zones, licences; 

  • Capacity building of street vendor organisations which focus on need to develop long term strategy, sustainable organisation, to face municipal corporations, build linkages and involve women in leadership;  

  • Build an alliance of membership-based organisations and strengthen them; build and strengthen leadership of vendors and develop database on their numbers, conditions etc; document and disseminate successful organising strategies; 

  • Advocate for the rights and for legal aid of vendors and forge links with organisations for the benefit of street vendors in policy-making and law; to make available census information and the issue of ID and licences to vendors and encourage the propensity of the natural market place;

  • Advocate mechanisms for co-ordination among vendors and the different urban/district/regional authorities;

  • To promote different organisations like trade unions, co-operatives, associations and others among vendors; 

  • To make financial services available to street vendors and link them to the mainstream economy; 

  • Lobby and network for inclusion of spaces/places for vendors in urban master plans; to promote social security, including pension, insurance, health facility among vendors; 

  • Do awareness campaigns on health-related problems and make arrangements for preventative and curative methods; facilitate education (informal and technical) for vendors and their dependents, provide scholarships for dependents of vendors and child vendors; make street vendors a special component of the plans for urban development by treating them as an integral part of the urban distribution system; 

  • Sensitize officials and public about the issues affecting street vendors

  • Impart skills development in alternative employment; 

  • Enforce regulations and promote self-governance amongst street vendors; 

  • Organise special benefit programmes for women and physically challenged vendors and to build an old age home; 

  • Print and create media and documents to create awareness among street vendors and society;

  • Undertake relief work during disaster/emergency situations;

  • Encourage environmentally-friendly and cultural activities; 

  • Establish/construct markets for street vendors; 

  • Undertake programme to eliminate bad practices and habits of street vendors.

Office bearers: National Co-ordinator - Arbind Singh; Executive members - Manali Shah, Suresh Kapile. 

Click here for website National Alliance of Street Vendors of India (NASVI)

NUIEWO (National Union of Informal Economy Workers' Organisations), Uganda 

PO Box  10650 Kampala, Uganda. Tel. (256) 41349336  772426597  Fax. (256) 41348721 e-mail: kajjak@yahoo.com; nuiewo_Uganda@hotmail.com; jbkalema@yahoo.com; dii@lumjo.com

NUIEWO: Report by Nakayemba Jacenta, Secretary St Balikuddembe Market stalls and lock up shop owners association, NUIEWO, Uganda 

Formed in 2004.  

Membership: City-based alliances of membership-based organisations of informal economy organisations, in which market vendors, street vendors and/or hawkers are the main focus. Their are 420 000 informal traders who have joined, 60 000 who are paid up.

Objectives: 

  • To promote respect and observance of Informal Economy workers' rights; 
  • To work as a link between the members and the relevant authorities in representing the members and negotiating for better terms and conditions of work; 
  • Provide educational programmes that help address the needs of informal economy workers;
  • Undertake activities that help informal economy workers' organisations to build capacity in offering better services to their members; 
  • To undertake continuous recruitment and organising of new members into the union; 
  • Foster good industrial relations and encourage maintenance of good work practices;
  • To perform other duties and engage in other business as union may lawfully undertake.

Vision: To build an informal economy work force that shall enjoy its full rights for promotion of development. 

Office bearers:  National Chairman - Kayonga Godfrey Nkajja; General Secretary - Kalema John; Deputy Secretary General - Jjemba Barbra; National Treasurer - Nabunya Sarah; Woman Leader - Nakayemba Jancent. 

 

NEST (Nepal Street Vendors' Union)

P.O BOX 10652 Man Mohan Labour Building Gefont Plaza, Putali Sadak. Tel. (9771) 4248072 Fax (97771) 4248073 e-mail: umesh@gefont.org

Formed in January 2001

Membership: A national trade union organising market vendors, street vendors and hawkers as well as small shopkeepers. NEST is organising in Kathmandu and has committees and membership in 15 districts. There are 4 410 paid up members.

Objectives:

  • Organise and safeguard the occupational interests of the street vendors;

  • To change the working conditions and improve the socio-economic conditions of the street vendors; 

  • To maintain good relationships with vendors and customers and others; 

  • To launch educational campaign for vendors; 

  • To advice the government in relation to labour policy and vendor policy;

  • To organise workshops and seminars and publish useful materials to uplift the socio-economic status of the self-employed and street vendors;

  • Hold dialogues for the protection of the vendor's interest; 

  • To guide and control member unions; 

  • To extend solidarity and moral support to the genuine demands and movements of people's organisations and trade unions in the nation and internationally; 

  • To work with various labour organisations and units under the policy and in consultation with GEFONT; 

  • To operate long-term funds for contingencies to assist vendors in crises; 

  • To publicize events and the cases of the humiliation and suppression of vendors and the launching of creative activities for improvement; 

  • Establish and operate co-operatives or other kinds of financial funds for the welfare and interests of the workers.

Office bearers: President - Narayan Neupane; Vice-President - Janardan Paranjuli; Secretary General - Kumar Sapkota; Deputy Secretary General - Maiya Gurung; Secretary - Anamika Shrestha.   

SEU (Self-Employed Union), Bangladesh

6-A/1-19 Mirpur Dhaka 1216. Tel.(88)02-9567506/ 01-711731218/- 02-8143795  Fax.(88)028015919/8143795 e-mail: oshe@agni.com, oshe@citech.net; repon@operamail.com

Formed in December 2001 - 1st July 2002

Membership: National union for self-employed people working in the streets as vendors and as home-based workers. Number of members - 2580 (2004). Members pay monthly subscription. Is affiliated to Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress (BFTUC).

Vision: Protect the interests of the street and working women and men as well as to change their socio-economic position in society and the labour market by collective actions.

Aims and objectives:

  • Protection of working rights of self-employed men and women in the streets as well as in the informal sector;

  • Dialogue with the the government on the issue of policy and demands of the street workers;

  • Organising the unorganised men and women working on the street;

  • Conduct education and capacity-building training programmes for SEU members;

  • Gender Equality & Occupational Health and Safety;

  • Networking, advocacy and lobbying.

Office-bearers: President - Farida Akter; General Secretary - AR Chowdhury Repon.

SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association), India

SEWA Reception Centre, Opp Victoria Gardens, Ahmedabad, India 380 001. Tel. (91) 795506441 Cell(91)9825095982 Fax. (91) 795506446 Tel: (91) 7312483150 Cell:(91)9425060124 Fax:(91)7312796288 (91) 79 2551 1432 e-mail: sewaunion@dataone.in; mssn.madhyapradesh@gmail.com; sewaorg@sancharnet.in 

Formed in 1972

Membership: "Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) was registered as a trade union in 1972 and since then has been organising women in the informal economy. Belonging to various trades and services, SEWA members are divided into four major categories on the basis of their work. They are home based workers, vendors, hawkers, laborers and service providers and small producers."

The informal economy accounts for 93% of Indian work force. Of the women's work force in India, more than 94% are in the unorganised sector. They work for long hours, on very low wages and are mostly illiterate. There are no protective laws for them who are economically very active, contributing significantly to the Indian economy and the society but are nonetheless exploited, discriminated against and marginalized.

SEWA has worked towards their visibility and for integrating them in the mainstream. Their needs, struggle and development have always been central to our objectives. Today, SEWA has 700,000 members located in 7 states of India. Membership of paid up hawkers and vendors is 50 050.

Activities:

SEWA believes in the Gandhian philosophy of Satya (truth), Ahimsa (non-violence), Sarvadharma (integration of all faiths, all religion) and Khadi (preparation of local employment and self reliance).

SEWA organized women through its joint strategy of struggle and development. It undertakes several activities based on members needs and priorities. Some of these are union struggles, cooperative economic, organizations, supportive services like banking and credit, health care, child care, shelter, legal-aid, insurance, capacity building, training through Sewa Academy, research and communication services.

SEWA members are the Directors of the SEWA Bank, managers of their cooperatives, leaders of their trade groups, camera persons, designers, and barefoot doctors, engineers, researchers, bankers. They change their own situation for the better and in doing so change society and their own men folk. In the SEWA movement, women are the leaders.

Today, we are very pleased to be users of the digital technologies in reaching out to our members and also new and extensive audiences. We do this through satellite communication, Video SEWA, and our websites. " (We the Self-Employed, Vol. 1, No. 1)

SEWA is the largest union organising informal economy workers and has made application to register as a national Central Trade Union.

Office bearers: Founder - Elaben Bhatt; President - Bhanuben Danabhai Solanki; Vice President - Manaliben Shah; Vice-president - Maniben Haribhai Patani; Vice-President - Gauriben Ramabhai Brahman; General Secretary - Jyotiben Macwan; Secretary - Mittalben Shah; Treasurer - Namrata Bali - Treasurer.  

Click here for website  Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA)

SINTEIN (Sindicato dos Trabalhadores na Economia Informal de Sao Paulo)

314 Rua Santo Amaro, n.314 sala 105, CJ 105 Bela Vista, Sao Paulo SP, Brazil. Cell+55 11 9776 7892 Cel.+55 11 8827 8702, 6837 8744 marcelomenezes13@gmail.com guinhosintein@gmail.com

Formed in 1992

Membership: Regional alliance of informal economy trade unions and associations organising market vendors, street vendors and hawkers. Number of members - 3 000. 

Aims and objectives:

  • Organise informal economy workers and street and market vendors and hawkers;
  • Legalisation of all unlicenced street vendors (not only the elderly and disabled) in order that they can earn an honest living without harassment;
  • Build solidarity among workers in different sectors of the informal economy;
  • Work for the creation of legislation that gives informal economy workers recognition and accords them the same rights as workers in the formal economy;
  • Negotiate with lending organisations to secure lower interest rates and longer periods for loans to be repaid to properly service the needs of the working poor of the informal economy.
  • Creation of an economic forum with stakeholders from all relevant sectors (municipal, government, business, labour, police, financial institutions, environment and heritage organisations, to debate the use and preservation of the public space and environment. This will create a conducive atmosphere for all to live in peace and harmony, to work and  produce goods and services in the city for the benefit of the community.

Office bearers: President - Marcio Menezes; Secretary - Ricardo Tadeu Moreno.

Website: SINTEIN (Sindicato dos Trabalhadores na Economia Informal de Sao Paulo)

 

SIVARA (Sindicato de Vendedores Ambulantes), Argentina

Azopardo 802 Codigo postal: 1172, Capital Federal Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tel:0054114866/5484 Fax: 0054114866/5482 e-mail: sivara@fibertel.com.ar

SIVARA: Report by OSCAR ROBERTO SILVA, SIVARA, ARGENTINA

Formed 13th December, 1973.

Membership: National trade union with street traders, market traders and mobile hawkers as affiliates. SIVARA is a national organisation with 16 regions and 38 associations, with a centralised office. Members - 16 546.

Objectives: 

  • Achieve the labour and social rights of all the street vendors that work in the diverse modalities of street trade in the public spaces and in private/commercial places in Argentina. 
  • Achieve national laws and ordinances and protect the working and social conditions of the workers of the 38 associations that SIVARA represents.

Office bearers: General Secretary - Oscar Roberto Silva Poblete;  Sec Trade Union - Noamì Ester Dubarry; Treasurer - Ricardo Alfredo Valle.

  

Street Vendor Project, New York, United States

123 William Street, 16th Fl, New York, NY 10038, United States. Tel. (646)6025679 Fax. (212)5334598 e-mail: sbasinski@urbanjustice.org

Formed in 2001.

Membership: A city-based alliance of membership-based organisations of street vendors and hawkers in New York. Number of members - 700. 

Aims and Objectives: 

  • To create and advance social and economic justice for the 10 000 hardworking entrepreneurs who sell food and merchandise on the streets and sidewalks of New York City. 

Vision:

  • We believe that people who wish to vend on the streets of New York City should have a fair chance to do so; 
  • That vendors should have a voice in the political system that determines their rights; 
  • That vendors are a central part of the fabric of our city. 

Office bearers: Director - Sean Basinski; Organiser - Judi Gatore F. Mukarhinda.

 Click here for the web site of Street Vendor Project 

SUDEMS (Syndicat Unique et Democratique des Mareyeurs du Senegal)

BP 20071 Dakar, Senegal. Tel/Fax: (221) 8349110 Cell:(221) 6835649 e-mail: mmafall@yahoo.fr; sudems@hotmail.fr

SUDEMS: Report 2007 

Formed in July 2000

Membership: Fish vendors, distributors and processors working in different regions of Senegal. It has     6 065 members.

Objectives:

  • Organise all the workers in the fishing sector into one big organisation; 
  • Put forward and defend the rights and material, moral and cultural interests of their members;
  • Coordinate action in the struggles against all the systems of oppression, alienation and the satisfaction of workers' legitimate demands; 
  • Struggle to safeguard the respect and extension of trade union rights; 
  • Organise for the unity of workers.

Office bearers: General Secretary - Mamadou Fall; Administrative Secretary - Fatou Gueye; Treasurer - Madou Mdiaye; Organising Secretary - Baba Ndiaye.

SYNAVAMAB (Syndicat National des Vendeurs et Vendeuses et Assimiles des Marches du Benin)

Benin 01 BP:69, Cotonou, Benin. Tel. (229)334373 Fax. (229)303227 Tel : (229)21312044 Cell:(229)97579518  (229)95967136          E-mail: emmanuel.ZOUNON@scb-lafarge.bj; synavamabbenin@yahoo.fr; bcai_benin@yahoo.fr

Formed in 1992. 

Membership: Formed by the UNSTB trade union centre. Open to street and market vendors in the markets of Benin and street hawkers. It has 9 015 members. 

Objectives: 

  • Organise the market and street vendors of Benin;

  • Working for improvement of markets (infrastructure; management; child-care facilities; sanitation; electricity; security etc). In the Dantokpa Market in Cotonou where there are 18 500 vendors with selling sites and approximately 8 000 other mobile hawkers and wholesalers, the union works with the trade union USYNVEPID which is organised by a different trade centre, on several joint activities: negotiations training; project management skills (also developing a manual); literacy classes; building a pre-school and a programme on child labour with the involvement of the ILO. 

  • Lobbying government for lower taxes on market vendors. 

Office bearers: Secretary General - Justine Chodaton; Vice-Secretary General - Aboh Jacques; Vice-Secretary General -  DA Lokonon Pascal; Treasurer - Chodoton Anastasie espe Aboh.

 
SYVEMACOT (Syndicat des Vendeurs de Matériaux de Construction du Togo)

BP 13887 Lome, Togo. Tel :(228)903 06 45 (228)220 33 72 (228) 9030645 Fax :(228) 222 44 41                                e-mail: Syvemacot99@yahoo.fr; ayaogbandjou@yahoo.fr

SYVEMACOT: Report, 2007

Formed on 26 March, 1999.

Membership: National trade union of informal traders of building materials. Number of members - 299.

Objectives: 

  • Gather together and monitor all the vendeurs of construction materials in the country; 
  • Secure the development and growth of activists;