WIEGO Blog

Nous avons tous vu ces images : des monticules d’ordures avec d’hommes et femmes fouillant dans les déchets. Cette situation difficile a fait augmenter la pression internationale relative aux enjeux de l’environnement et la santé publique de ces si dangereux sites. Les décharges à ciel ouvert, à la différence des  sites d’enfouissement,n’ont pas été conçues pour protéger ni l’environnement ni la santé des êtres humains. 

We’ve all seen the pictures: heaping trash mounds with men and women sifting through the discards. This challenging situation has increased international pressure over environmental and public health concerns from these dangerous sites. Open dumps, unlike sanitary landfills, are not engineered to protect the environment and human health. But there is one major issue: the response does not take into account that these sites are important sources of economic survival for expert recyclers – the world’s waste pickers. 

In this podcast interview with Urban Research Director Caroline Skinner, she discusses WIEGO's new e-book, Street Vendors and Public Space: Essential insights on key trends and solutions. This all-in-one resource provides an important overview on the global context, issues and solutions for researchers, policymakers, activists and planners.

In 2019, informal workers made some noise — in their home cities and at the highest global change-making bodies. They took to the streets, met with local officials and stood in front on the International Labour Organization in Geneva demanding to be seen, heard and, ultimately, treated with the respect and dignity they deserve as workers.

And they won.