WIEGO Blog

Waste Pickers and EPR in India

Sangeeta Ben walks her daily route working as a waste picker in an Ahmedabad slum

Roopa Madhav

24 May 2023

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) transfers the responsibility of waste management from municipal authorities to the producers of the waste materials. Despite the important role that informal economy workers who collect and segregate waste could play in such a system, they get no mention in India’s EPR policy.

Recent Posts

Carmen Rosa Duitama is a member of the Waste Pickers Association of Bogotá

5 Local Actions to Support the Informal Workforce that Should Go Global

WIEGO Blog

6 December 2022

In promoting a better urban future, the United Nations recently called for the sharing of transformative approaches to local action – what has worked to create “greener, more equitable and sustainable cities”. Here are five examples from the rich experiences of WIEGO and our partners.

Inclusive Cities / Urban Policies, Environment/Climate change, Livelihoods, Public Space, Poverty / Inequality

StreetNet International Coordinator Oksana Abboud

Recognition and Respect Could Change Street Vendors’ Lives

WIEGO Blog

14 November 2022

In this interview, StreetNet International Coordinator Oksana Abboud talks about how and why street vendors became organized and her hopes for the world of work.

Organizing & Organizations, Cooperatives/Unions/Organizing

Subverting Master Planning to Advance Informal Worker Interests: Lessons from Delhi

Shalini Sinha, Avi Majithia, Jenna Harvey

31 October 2022

Heeding the United Nations call to share transformative approaches to local action on World Cities Day, Focal Cities Coordinator Jenna Harvey talked to Shalini Sinha and Avi Majithia of WIEGO’s Focal Cities Delhi team about their work to advance a more just and inclusive “people’s plan” in Delhi’s master plan.

Inclusive Cities / Urban Policies, Organizing & Organizations, Care workers/care economy, Social Protection, Collective Bargaining, Formalization / Formalizing, Cooperatives/Unions/Organizing, Exposure Dialogues, Future of Work, History, Debate & Policies, Livelihoods, Public Space, Special Research Initiatives, Workers’ Health, Workplace Safety, Poverty / Inequality

Joining Hands to Organize Home-Based Workers

WIEGO Blog

18 October 2022

In this interview, HomeNet International Coordinator Janhavi Dave tells us of proud moments in the home-based workers’ movement and shares her thoughts on visibility in the sector.

COVID-19 Crisis, Organizing & Organizations, Cooperatives/Unions/Organizing, Exposure Dialogues, Future of Work, Global Advocacy

Waste Pickers Take the Podium at UN Environment Assembly

Kabir Arora

11 October 2022

The hall was filled with official delegations, representatives and environmentalists, activists and organizers from more than 150 countries representing in the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) 5.2 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Organizing & Organizations, Global Advocacy