Informal economy workers seek social protection coverage
19 November 2024 |
3:08 am
Workers in the informal economy have demanded the expansion of social protection and other rights to achieve decent work for all.They argued that globally, informal economy workers are the most visible workers
Workers in the informal economy have demanded the expansion of social protection and other rights to achieve decent work for all.They argued that globally, informal economy workers are the most visible workers, yet they are still ‘invisible’ in terms of social protection coverage as well as respect and dignity.
They said this during the commemoration of International Vendors’ Day on Nov. 14, where street and market vendors by affiliate members of StreetNet International (SNI) from more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, celebrated the day.
They stated that the set of women and men who toil on the streets and in the neighbourhoods of communities to provide critical supplies and services to working families brings global attention to the important work they do and the critical challenges they face.
In Nigeria, the Federation of Informal Workers’ Organizations of Nigeria (FIWON), celebrated market and street vendors who constitute most of its membership nationwide.
FIWON President, Frances Onokpe, and General Secretary, Gbenga Komolafe, said street vendors are among the most vulnerable categories of workers, often subjected to institutional and state violence.
The duo argued that street and market vendors have been at the forefront of FIWON’s struggles for organised spaces for street vendors and other informal workers to work in, for the right to social protection, and structured occupational health and safety measures in the Nigerian informal economy.
They stressed that over the years, StreetNet and its affiliates have fought for the recognition of street vendors as workers, for their inclusion in urban policy, and for governments around the world to put a stop to police harassment.
The labour leaders maintained that the affiliate has worked to protect the rights of migrant workers and cross-border traders as well as for the advancement of youth and women in leadership positions through training and capacity building.
The group stated that it has continued to pursue the unity of street vendors around the world, allowing them to speak with one voice in international forums and negotiations with authorities, especially at the International Labour Conference According to them, the story of gaining organisation and a degree of representation for street and market vendors has been a fairly long one since Streetnet International was launched in 2002.
International Coordinator of StreetNet, Oksana Abboud, said: “This journey of 22 years was full of struggles, both at national and international levels. We have fought for recognition, for our rights, for democracy, for economic inclusion, and justice. We can proudly say that we have achieved so much during this time: we have increased our institutional capacity, grown in numbers, and improved in maturity to make strategic decisions.”
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