ILO COOP/SSE Meets with WIEGO and Global Informal Economy Worker Membership Based Organization Networks

During the 112th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), the ILO COOP/SSE Unit held a meeting with Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) and global informal economy workers’ membership based organizations (MBOs) and their networks. These include the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF), HomeNet International (HNI), the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP), and StreetNet International (SNI). The representatives came from various countries including Zimbabwe, Trinidad and Tobago, India, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina.

The objective of this meeting was to facilitate the exchange of experiences and identify the diverse needs of informal economy workers, including care workers, vis a vis cooperative, social and solidarity economy. Many MBOs already have organized into cooperatives and other SSE entities. HNI and SNI have actively been documenting existing experiences of SSE among their members. They have also been holding orientation sessions to advance their thinking on the topic. ILO COOP/SSE has been working on formalizing informal work and enterprises through cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy for many years. By fostering linkages between the different organizations and their ongoing projects, the aim is to highlight experiences to facilitate the transition of informal workers to the formal economy and to ensure they receive social protection including through cooperatives and Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) entities.

The discussion emphasized the relevance of the general discussion at the 112th session of the ILC that resulted in a Resolution on Decent Work and the Care Economy, with numerous mentions of the contribution of cooperatives and SSE entities to the care economy. The 2022 ILO Resolution on Decent Work and SSE, recognizing the SSE's contribution to advancing care work and improving the conditions of work for care workers, was also underscored. 

During the meeting, access to social protection emerged as a key challenge facing workers in the informal economy. Zimbabwe presented an example of accessing social security through Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS), mutuals, and private social security schemes. Efforts are underway to integrate domestic workers into national social security schemes. Moreover, street vendors in Zimbabwe are actively organizing to ensure childcare services, benefitting from negotiation skills training provided. These vendors have formed negotiation teams in 36 municipal areas, demonstrating the power of organised advocacy.

Additionally, raising awareness about cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy entities, particularly among street vendors, was highlighted as a solution to reduction in harassment and violence in the streets. The creation of SACCOs and government-supported training on cooperative governance and registration were highlighted by the President of StreetNet International, Lorraine Ndlovu. Given the high cost of childcare centres, care cooperatives are being explored as an alternative solution.

Mexico's experience with formalizing domestic workers can benefit from  the Care Cooperatives Model in Colombia currently being implemented by ILO’s Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) Branch and the Cooperative, Social, and Solidarity Economy (SSE) Unit offering support to care workers, particularly in indigenous communities through cooperatives and SSE entities.

The case of Dominican Republic showcases national engagement and decision to prioritize the SSE and its significance in ensuring social security for the self-employed. This commitment highlights the potential of SSE entities to bring their members into the social protection mechanisms.

In conclusion, the meeting reaffirmed the importance of SSE entities in supporting transition of workers in the informal economy to the formal economy. By sharing good practices and fostering collaboration, these global organizations can drive significant progress in decent work and social protection for informal workers. The integration and organization of domestic workers, street vendors, care workers, and other informal economy workers as cooperatives and SSE entities remains a priority, offering viable and effective solutions for decent work.