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This is a report of South Asia Conference on Informal Labour and Trade Union Organisations organised by Committee for Asian Women (CAW) and Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) in August 2007 in Pune India.

The conference brought participants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Thailand and India to share experience and discuss organising strategies for women workers in the informal economy, especially waste pickers, domestic workers and home-based workers.

“In many countries in South Asia, women constitute a large part of the informal workforce. Street vending in Sri Lanka is women-dominated. Women are paid very low wages whether they are waste pickers, domestic workers or doing any other type of work in the informal sector. Their income however, is crucial to support the family and the society.

Two things must be ensured in order to achieve development goals – gender equality and concept of decent work as defined by ILO. Organising women in the informal economy for social protection (unions or other member-based organisations) should thus be taken up. It will help influence the governments in passing laws to protect women.”