Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)

1. Sustainable Production, Work Conditions and Equitable Distribution By Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)

2. Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) • Established in 1972 by Shri Elaben Bhatt • Over 1 million poor, self employed women as members • Largest recognized national level union of informal sector workers • Confluence of three movements • Trade Union Movement • Labour movement • Women’s movement

3. Organise women workers to achieve full employment i.e. work security, income security and social secrity Self Reliance – individually and collectively : economically independent and capable of making their own decisions

4. Home Based Workers: working from their homes for a trader, contractor, are own account, piece rate workers Vendors or Hawkers who invest their labour in vending and earn their living MEMBERS’ PROFILE Manual labourers and service providers like agricultural labourers, construction workers, contract labourers, handcart pullers, head-loaders, domestic workers and laundry workers Producers who invest their labour, skill and resources and take the risk of production and marketing to earn their living

5. SEWA -Integrated Approach • Organizing • Collective organized strength through their associations to actively participate in the planning, implementation and monitoring processes of the programmes meant for them and also in all other affairs of the nation • Social Security • At least health care, child care, shelter and relief- to combat the chronic risks faced by them and their families • Capacity Building To stand firm in the competitive markets i.e access to infrastructure, technology, information, education, knowledge, and relevant skills. • Capital Formation • At the household level through access to financial services to build and create assets of their own. Assets ownership is the surest weapon to fight vulnerability to poverty Members become owners and managers of their own trade.

6. RUDI – An Example of SEWA’s Effort For Sustainable Production, Work conditions and Equitable Distribution Grading and cleaning at processing Centres in a cluster of 15-20 villages Procurement from farmer Storage at C.LC Packing/labeling at processing haat Processed stock Livelihood Opportunity to 9000 member Sales Outlet at every village Finished Goods • Initiated by SEWA Gram MahilaHaat • Serves Rural community : Producers and Consumers • Aims at poverty alleviation through rural Entrepreneurship, Procurement, Packaging and Marketing of food grains at the local level • Development of Village through their own resources • Integrated Value Chain • To enhance the earning of agriculture activities • Create multiple opportunities • Provide regular and affordable supply of Agriculture products to the rural members • RUDI Supply chain

7. Family of Organisations • SEWA’s integrated network of organizations supports every sphere of a member’s life. • SEWA Bank - cooperative bank for women workers which pumps Rs. 10 million each day into hands of the poorest women workers in the city of Ahmedabad – 2 lac depositors – working capital of Rs. 900 million • SEWA has built a federation of 110 cooperatives of 20000 workers providing services and making products. • SEWA Academy fights illiteracy and educates the women workers of the informal economy as workers, as women, as citizens and as agents of social change – 30000 women a year • SEWA Social Security – Reaching Health Care and Child care to 200000 members • SEWA Insurance – Covers 130000 members • SEWA Housing & Infrastructure – 40000 members given services • At district level, SEWA has built 11 associations that provide economic and social support services to poor women workers. • SEWA Marketing Company – to combat market risks and its own trade facilitation Centre to fight against trade related risks - Reaching 40,000 producers • RUDI Multi Trading Company - Market linkages for Agriculture Producers • SEWA’s Green Livelihood activities : Climate Mitigation and related activities • SEWA Managers School – Managerial Capacity Building of its members • From 1200 in 1972 to 700000 members in 2004 spread in 14 districts of Gujarat and 7 states of India • From a union in 1972 to now 18 economic institutions including global trade facilitation center & RUDI Multi Trading Company

8. LAND AND LIVELIHOOD : MAJOR ISSUES • Majority of SEWA members’ livelihood is dependant on land eg. • Vendors, Small and Marginal Farmers; Agriculture workers, Salt workers, Home based workers etc. • Issues faced in context of land and livelihood • Lack of allotted space for vending • Urbanisation and Development schemes are not inclusive of the workers of the informal sector • Increased acquisition of farm lands by companies • Setting up of Industrial factories on agricultural lands • Rehabilitation / Resettlement does not get enough importance • No Proper Compensation to the poor for the land acquired • At times companies acquire land illegally leaving the farmers with no option i.e forced to either accept the compensation or lose their land

9. SALE OF LAND AND ITS CONSEQUENCES Poor are Forced to Sell Land ………….. • Cost involved in agriculture inputs, low yield, frequent failures in crop, Irregular rainfall, changing climatic situations etc. • Lack of proper legal documents (dastavej) for built property and farms both - laws pertaining to land and property matters, requirement of legal documents etc. • Mortgage of land over years • Government policies not in favor of workers • Harrassment by the Contractors, brokers, etc. to the land owners • To meet social expenses like marriages, health related expenses, come out of effects of natural calamities, etc. • Exploitations by the companies involved in purchase of land – by giving assurance for employment, facilitation for better health, schooling etc. at the time of purchase of land

10. SALE OF LAND AND ITS CONSEQUENCES………………Contd.. • Loss of livelihood in the agriculture sector due to companies / factories entering in agricultural areas • Setting up of Industrial factories on agricultural lands create (a) threat to neighbouring lands, (b) effects quality of agri produces, (c) creates Health Problems in the surrounding as well as consumers of agri products • Difficult to get new skills and stand in the competitive market • Survival and livelihood has become difficult for the informal sector workers due to urbanisation and development • Livestocks affected due to diminizing grazing land • Fraud with the farmers in the name of giving huge amounts of monetary returns in place of their land • Improper rehabilitation leads to losing identity, livelihood and age old traditions eg. craft sector, vendors etc. • Government aids does not reach because of corruption • Middlemen and contractors are paid heavily – as no direct deals between the land owners and buyers

11. VOICES FROM THE GRASSROOT Faridaben, UP: Central mission going on for urban development everywhere has affected two sections in our city i.e. street vendors and crafts persons. There is a vending policy but it is not followed properly. One of the markets where the vendors used to sit since 25 years disintegrated and the rehabilitation is not done properly. And the craft community staying since past 200 years are facing many problems as they are disintegrated. The survival of craft is in question. They are facing identity crisis. For the craft survival it is important to rehabilitate them together in an appropriate place. If it is not taken care of then the craft shall perish. • Nanuben, Ahmedabad: I am a labourer staying in a village and came to Ahmedabad many years back. I bought land of 400 yards at Kadi village at the rate of Rs. 6000 / 100 yards. We signed the land agreement on Rs. 20 stamp paper but there was no legal authentic bond signed. . I built a home on the same land. One day without notice, AUDA demolished our house. We lost everything and there was no other place for us to go. I acquired loan from SEWA Bank. With SEWA’s help I filed a case in the court. After 14-15 years of battle finally I won the case in the court.

12. VOICES FROM THE GRASSROOT Kamlaben, Surendranagar : Nobody in our village have sold land and we will not allow to sell their land. Good that we are organized with SEWA, else we would have sold our land long back. It is because of the awareness and education in various meetings, wherein we understand the importance of this invaluable asset for the farmers - how could we shall that ? In our village due to Narmada canal our land was taken by the government but are not given enough compensation and thus we are in trouble – but where shall we complain ? I have not accepted the cheque of compensation – I will not take it unless I get the full compensation of my land • Leader, Surendranagar District : Our land is dry and thus could produce only in monsoons. I have taken loan of Rs. 2 lacs from a money lender at the interest rate of 2.5% for construction of borewell in order to cultivate in other season as well. Of this I paid Rs. 1.5 lac from the produces of 2 years. After that the crop failed for 5-6 years and thus was further indebted for 5-6 lacs. I have to return the money and thus was forced to sell the land at the rate of Rs. 2 lac / bigha. I have received Rs. 5 lac as the earnest money from which I have paid my debts and from the remaining amount which is yet to be received I will purchase another land.

13. VOICES FROM THE GRASSROOT RanibenAhir, Patan : I was doing crafts work and was not owning any land. When the land was being sold in the village the Sarpanch asked me if I want to purchase as he knew that I have some savings while associated with SEWA. I very well understood the importance of ownership, which is one of the 11 self evaluation questions of SEWA, thus I purchased land of 7 acres and continued to purchase land from my savings – today I own 50 acres of land. It makes difference if the ownership is in the name of women, as husbands could not sell land right away, as our signature would be required. When I was in need of money I sold my ornaments, because if land is there than we can produce and earn from it and make new ornaments. Also we would not look bad if we do not wear ornaments but we need to eat and feed our stomach. The understanding of having ownership in the name of women came to me while associated with SEWA else how would have I known this being an illiterate. Raniben, Patan District : We will never allow members to sell land, we have learnt the lessons from Shree Elaben 10 years back regarding the importance of land and not to sell land. I keep a watch in the village that nobody sells land

14. SEWA’S EFFORTS AND WAY FORWARD • Work on the issue in an organized way with same understanding • Work towards sustainable livelihood of members through an integrated effort which provides them with : • Livelihood, Market Access and Agri Finance • Technical Trainings for increase • Skill Building and Upgradation Trainings • Agriculture Inputs (Seeds, Fertilizers, Tools & Equipment) • Access to Technology • Rainfall Insurance • Direct Market Linkages • Access to Technology • Finance for getting back mortgaged land

15. Contd…… • Awareness, Education, participatory training Programmes, Workshops, Conferences etc. on….. • Consequences of Agricultural land converting into non Agricultural land - Food security, health, etc. • How to acquire back the property which is mortgaged • Campaign by Grassroot Leaders • Legal counseling • Experience sharing Forums • Inclusion of the women’s name in the ownership of land • Effects of sale of land on livelihood and survival – understanding longer vision – funds received would be expensed and give relief from difficulties for a shorter period but in the long run lives and livelihood would become more difficult • Importance of land and livelihood for future generation • If at all the land needs to be sold then it should sold to the one who would use for the Agriculture purpose and to the resident of same village • Financial literacy Programmes for the members who have already sold land

16. Contd…… • Work on following for Land Acquisition Bill 2011…. • Provision for • Proper compensation for land acquired by the government for development • Compensation to the family members (dependent on the land for livelihood) of the land owners for survival • Social Impact Assessment for the families left behind to suffer • Distinct Land Acquisition for development in Special Economic Zones • Reimbursement by the government , including losses faced by the land owners, for the land initially acquired and eventually not used for the purpose. 2 expert groups and 1 technical expert in rehabilitation • Responsibility of collector to listen to objections for rehabilitation • Appointment of an administrator in Rehabilitation for listening to objections • Routine review of points related to acquisition and rehabilitation • Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation / Resettlement have one common law in the bill which can prove to be a negative aspect • The ‘Urgency’ clause under which the government has the right to acquire land without following the normal procedure needs to be looked into

17. Thank You