Women in informal employment : globalizing and organizing (WIEGO): mission report

Abstract

A mission was conducted to Ahmedabad, India, to attend the annual general meeting of WIEGO (Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing) from 19-21 January 2002. Hosted by the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), a renowned organization with over two million members in India, the meeting focused on improving the status of women in the informal sector through research, policies, and programs. WIEGO, a global coalition established in 1997, aims to make visible the contributions of informal sector workers, particularly women, who are often underrepresented in official statistics and policies. The organization prioritizes urban policies, global markets, social protection, statistics, and the organization of informal workers. The meeting highlighted the challenges of organizing informal sector women in Africa and identified opportunities for collaboration between WIEGO and ACW, particularly in the Global Markets program, which seeks to link grassroots producers to global markets and mitigate the negative impacts of trade liberalization.