<p><b>Project Theme: </b>Urban Poverty</p>
<p><b>Project Period: </b>1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015</p>
<p><b>Project Name: </b>Empowerment of Informal Sectors workers of Delhi</p>
<p><b>Project Location: </b>Urban slums in Delhi</p>
<p><b>Budget(Annual): </b>Rs 15Lakh </p>
<h3>Introduction:</h3>
<p>
Women working in the informal sector contribute to the national economy do not have an accessibility of finance, regularity of income and livelihood tools. They remain poor, vulnerable, asset less, indebted and trapped in the continuous process of de-capitalisation. There are over 200,000 Street vendors in Delhi with a sales turnover is of Rs 1590 Crore. Many street vendors are migrants who fled from the poverty of their villages and made their homes in the shanties of cities to earn a living by selling their wares on pavements. Frequent targets of harassment and extortion by police and municipal officials, often evicted without prior notice, they are seen as eyesores, particularly so when cities wish to beautify themselves. Although the central government has adopted the National Policy on Street Vendors in January 2004, the implementation has been a major problem. A similar plight is that of construction workers, whose numbers multiplied in the capital city of Delhi because of the rush to complete a large number of new projects (various Games sites, expanding Delhi Metro, extensions to the airport, new hotels and malls.) before the Commonwealth Games which were held in October 2010. The case of the domestic workers is evident to the fact that despite the guaranteed constitutional rights their struggle for equality and survival continues. <b>Domestic workers</b> remain the most exploited and are often considered as cheap labour. Capital cities of country have become the centers to recruit poor women as domestic workers.
</p>
<p>
<b>About the Project:</b> This project focuses on economic and social empowerment of women workers of informal economy.
</p>
<p>SEWA Delhi Trust will work through “information centre model” to facilitate access to information through a single window. This platform will also be utilised in providing legal counseling and sessions to the women workers, so that they learn about their rights and laws and can effectively use it. We would also provide skill up gradation to the domestic workers for enhancing their employability. The project will be implemented in five location of Delhi: New Ashok Nagar, Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Mustafabad and Raghuvir Nagar, Sundernagri and Rajiv Nagar. These are all urban slums of Delhi, where these workers live.</p>
<h3>Expected results:</h3>
<ul class="list-group">
<li>Building collective strength of women working in the informal economy.</li>
<li>Access information on social security by facilitating service delivery.</li>
<li>Advocacy for securing livelihood of the women workers for rights and entitlements.</li>
<li>Work towards Formulation of a “National policy for the domestic workers”.</li>
<li>Lobby towards the formulation of Bill for the Urban Street Vendors' Livelihood (Protection & Regulation).</li>
<li>Ensure regular benefits to construction workers through a “Building and Construction Workers Welfare Board”.</li>
<li>Increase visibility of women workers who can articulate their concerns.</li>
<li>Create a strong union of women workers with enhanced voice.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Achievements:</h3>
<ul class="list-group">
<li>Strengthening SEWA union: SEWA Delhi successfully reached out to new members, unionised 41,000 informal sector workers in the last year.</li>
<li>Enhanced capacity of grass root leaders to articulate their issues, they participated in "Aagyewan Divas" to celebrate themselves. </li>
<li>Women workers made aware about their rights and entitlements & enhanced knowledge and confidence on effective use of laws. Around19,528 women accessed information through the information desks in the last one year.</li>
<li>Women have increased recognition of their rights and entitlements -8463 forms for various schemes were submitted. Over. 6000 members accessed entitlements through the desk.</li>
<li>Increased employability of domestic workers,2000 were mobilised and 281 ID cards were issued. </li>
<li>Database of women workers is being developed and will lead to a significant policy bargaining process for the workers.</li>
<li>Proper documentation of experiences through Anusuya SEWA Delhi will continue to take the journey forward and share experience with all stakeholders.</li>
</ul>