Mainstreaming Young Women Embroidery Workers through Organising and Linkages

Presented By: Shweta SinghOrganisation: SEWA

Country: India

Project title Mainstreaming Young women workers through Organising and Linkages

Tentative Duration One Year

Starting Date September 2007

Geographical Coverage

Rajiv Nagar,Resettlement Colony in New Delhi

Project Language English and Hindi

Executing Organisation/ Unit

SEWA, New Delhi

Implementing unit SEWA , New delhi

Preparation date 18 th July 2007

Author Shweta Singh

Background and Justification

• 93% of the workforce of the population of India is in the unorganised sector and the workers in the unorganised sector contribute 62% to the GDP, and 50% contribute to the national income. Out of this 90% is constituted by women

• The access of women in informal sector-to education, health and productive resources, among others, is inadequate

• There are gender inequalities in the distribution of income, access to resources, discrimination at work, and do not have full control over their basic asset,i.e, their own labour

• The hierarchy within the Informal sector is complex, which is characterised by a maze of Contractor- Subcontractor relationship

• Despite this due to the poor socio-economic conditions of the family ,women are involved in various economic activity and are contributing to the family income

Cont..

• But irregular work is a constant insecurity for these workers

• Limited access to credit facilities which leads to monopoly of money lenders who charge high rate of interest

• Lack of access to Insurance and other Social Security schemes adds to their daily insecurities

• Lack of collective strength makes them voiceless and relegates them to lower level

• SEWA has been working in this area of linking the Home-based women workers with the formal markets, and the program is running successfully, as 200 women workers are getting regular work at reasonable rates

• SEWA is committed towards the empowerment of Home-based workers and is putting rigorous efforts towards the ratification of ILO convention(No.177)

Target Groups

• Young women in the age group of 17- 35 years will be involved in this program

• They are mostly Home-based workers engaged in various activities like Embroidery, Bangle making ,Aggarbatti making etc

• Poor, illiterate and work for the contractors at a very low rates, lack the bargaining power

• Reluctant to step out of their houses , as their family members object to it as they are girls and many a times their own inhibitions stops them.

Development Objective

This work plan / Project will contribute towards achieving the following

Building the Economic Institution of the Home-based workers, that will give them Full Employment and make them Self- Reliant.

Immediate ObjectiveAt the end of this project, following results will be achieved:

i. Technical skills in Embroidery work that would help the members get regular work from many employers and enhance the incomes

ii. Organization of workers that would help in negotiating with the employers pertaining to piece rate or other business issues

iii. Elimination of the middlemen

iv. Increasing Awareness on Ethical Trading and Company Code

Key Output/ Direct results

For Immediate Objective I

• 50 Young women workers trained in Embroidery work (in Aari, Zardosii, Dabka work), Quality maintenance and Production Management in a span of One year

• New Designs and Products (like samples of bags, cushions and catalogue of samples) made by the young women

For Immediate Objective II

• Negotiated rates with the employers and women involved in the delivery and transactions of goods

• Increased earnings of women ( absolutely double of that given by the middlemen)

For Immediate Objective III

• Women linked directly to three Export Houses

• During off season( when exporters are not able to provide any work) ,women involved in their own production and marketing

Main Activities

• Setting –up of a centralized workplace for Trainings and for Distribution of work

• A trainer will be hired from the Export house, to give training on a regular basis (preferably a woman trainer)

• Exposure to the Export companies like Matrix and Nanditas

• A five day Exposure Visit to SEWA Ahmedabad, to expose the workers to the SEWA Union and the Livelihood Cooperatives of SEWA.

• An external Supervisor would be invited to judge the level of the women skills, who will evaluate them and put them practical test. (preferably from the Export companies)

• A production manager of the companies would be invited to the SEWA centre, So that they get a sense of the functions of the centre and get to interact with workers directly, and develop trust on the workers capacity

• Conduct Ideology Training ,weekly meetings with the members

• Conduct market survey of the existing market trends

Cont..

• Ensure a consistent flow of work for the workers and make timely payment (from SEWA revolving fund)

• Resource person from the Export company would be invited to aware the members on issues of fair trade and company code

Main Inputs

• Technical inputs from Experts

• Setting up of a Centralized workplace

• Regular efforts by the team of Employment generation in Organizing and mobilizing , Home-visits (for building up a healthy and strong relationship with the women)

• Consultation on ways to innovate trainings, and for creating worthy linkages (if required)

• Liasioning and Correspondence with the Export companies and with the Donors

• Report Writing and Documentation

• Financial assistance from the donors

• Membership fee of Rs. 5 from the women members

Indicators of Achievement • 50 skilled women workers

• Regular and Consistent work

• Enhancement in the income and Directly dealing with the employers

• visibility and recognition in the national and International market

• Self-Sufficient and major contribution in the family income

• Increase the bargaining power

• Able to participate in the national and international dialogue concerning their specific issues

• Develop a direct Employer –Employee relationship

Management Risks

RiskI: From the Contractors (as they will try to suppress the program by undue means)

Build the trust of the members on SEWA through regular visits, Trainings, meetings and provide need –based services.

Risk II: From the Family and society, who may oppose on allowing the women to participate in this training, so there are chances that they might withdraw after their enrolment

Take the male members of the household in confidence, before initiating the training course and aware them on the usefulness and the long term goal of the program

Risk III: Exporters or Employers work on Business terms and the issues of women like their incapability due to illiteracy, lack of knowledge, holds no meaning to them. For them work norms should be strictly implemented, else they loose confidence on the workers work and may give the consignments to other vendor .(SEWA has one limitation that it lacks business orientation)

Team should be proactive and the workers should take ownership role. Team leaders might also get training on Basic Business aspects of work, so that it gets easy to guide the workers

Monitoring ,Reporting and Evaluation

• Project coordinator would prepare monthly work plans

• Adhere to the reporting requirements of the donor and prepare quarterly progress and finanancial reports

• Visits will be organised for the donor agency to the field area, so that they have clarity on the nature of activities being reported and carried out

• Joint Evaluation by SEWA and the Donor

THANK YOU!