Streetnet Campaigns: Brazil:Meeting of Informal Vendors from World Cup Host Cities adopts Declaration of Demands

Inauguration of street vendors' forum by Oscar Silva, President of SttreetNet International

Participants at the Forum at the CSA,Sao Paolo, 26th October 2011

A meeting of street vendors organisations from seven of the World Cup host cities was convened by StreetNet International in Sao Paolo on 26th October and held in the conference centre of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA/CSA). The meeting was opened by Ramon Smezeta, Play Fair campaign coordinator of the CSA who welcomed the opportunity to meet the informal vendors'organisations, saying that the CSA doors were always open to workers' organisations from both the formal and informal economy. Oscar Silva, the President of Street Net International, expressed solidarity with the Brazilian informal vendors and his conviction that the organisations would grow in strength and be able eventually to form a national network.

The meeting heard about the World Class Cities for All Campaign and the plans that the informal vendors had drawn up during a two day workshop which had preceded the meeting. During 2012, it is planned to hold a series of training events on leadership, advocacy and communication techniques at municipal level, develop an exchange programme between the host cities and set up an electronic information network which can also be used to denounce human rights violations.

The meeting also heard testimonies from street vendors from 3 cities: Sao Paolo, Salvador and Rio. In Sao Paolo, over the last two days, the military police had mounted a large-scale operation to close down the stalls of street vendors with widespread use of violence, arrests and confiscation of goods at the early morning market in Bras, in the centre of the city. In Salvador, the informal market vendors are calling for the municipality to creat a popular shopping centre as the situation in the historic centre is becoming more and more difficult. In Rio, Maria, a street vendor in the centre of the city, told of the brutal treatment she had been subjected to by the police.

Both the United Workers Centre (CUT) and the Building and Wood Workers International, expressed their interest in accompanying the demands of the street vendors. Other representatives also expressed their support for the street vendors, including the Popular Committee of those Affected by the World Cup, the Coordination of Popular Movements (CMP), and the World Women's March.

The Forum Declaration is annexed below.

Final Declaration: World Class Cities for All Campaign Street Vendors Forum

Another World Cup is Possible: Respecting the rights of street vendors

Sao Paolo, 26^th October 2011

Convened by StreetNet International, the Forum on Street Vendors and the 2014 World Cup, brought together representatives of street vendors’ organisations from host cities, trade union representatives, social movements, and other organisations.

Street vending is a consequence of unequal development and a survival strategy for some of the poorest urban communities. Street vendors are self-employed workers, seeking to earn an honest living and to maintain themselves and their families. Street vendors’ contribution to the urban economy should be recognised and valued, and their rights respected and their obligations regulated fairly.

The participants heard testimonies from street vendors that as preparations for the World Cup get under way:

· Municipalities are either withdrawing or not renewing existing licenses to trade. Municipalities are not issuing new licenses to trade in the centres of the host cities. Many street traders are therefore left in a legally precarious situation, the prey to arbitrary treatment and other forms of abuse.

· In some cities, there is an increase in police crackdowns against street traders, including the confiscation of their goods without compensation or return; fines, and on some occasions, there are incidents of physical violence and imprisonment;

· Local and national media do not publish information when street vendors’ organisations wish to denounce acts of repression or present their demands;

· Municipalities are enforcing outright bans on trading in the centres of the cities, particularly in the areas frequented by tourists;

· Municipalities have created popular shopping centres as alternatives to street trading but in many cases fail to take into account the real numbers of street traders, and street vendors’ organisations do not participate in the design, development and administration of the centres;

Participants also heard that:

· municipal programmes to develop popular shopping centres are only successful if they are developed and designed in consultation with the representative street vendors’ organisations and administered with their participation.

· Street vendors are concerned at the lack of consultation and information available to them about the infrastructure projects planned for the World Cup;

· Street vendors are equally concerned at the lack of information concerning the plans to develop exclusion zones around the Stadiums and the fan parks as part of the General Law of the World Cup (Ley Geral da Copa) currently being negotiated by the government.

The Forum therefore agreed to call upon the Host Cities and the Federal Government to meet their commitments to work with the poorest urban populations to provide decent work for all and:

(1) call a halt to the despicable policy of depriving traders of licenses and prohibiting trading in city centres;

(2) provide public resources for the creation of spaces for informal traders, for example, through popular shopping centres, markets, and other spaces taking into account local needs and characteristics;

(3) convene meetings with the representative organisations of street vendors to consult with them about the impact of the proposed infrastructure and urban renewal programmes as a result of the World Cup;

(4) ensure that suitable relocation plans are drawn up in consultation with street vendors’ organisations where their traditional trading places are taken away as a result of those projects;

(5) develop social solidarity economy projects as alternatives for street traders who are interested;

(6) oppose plans to create exclusion zones around the proposed fan parks during the World Cup which would deprive local street vendors of economic opportunities in favour of the official multinational sponsors of the World Cup;

(7)

The Forum further agreed:

(1) to work in collaboration with the street vendors’ organisations to support their demands and to join with them in denouncing acts of abuse and violence on part of the municipal authorities.

(2) To work collaboratively to support campaigns for decent work, fair play, housing rights transparency and other initiatives designed to ensure that the 2014 World Cup has a social legacy to benefit all Brazilians.

Another World Cup is Possible!

Nothing for us without us!

Sao Paolo 26^th October 2011

MUCA ASFERAP ACCPO-PO

Rio de Janeiro Porto Alegre Porto Alegre

SINDFEIRA SICVAM CUT/AM

Manaus Manaus Manaus

APROVACE ASFAERP AEFO

Fortaleza Salvador Rio de Janeiro

ABFEST ABAEM SINTEMEI

Salvador Belo Horizonte São Paulo

Coop. Itaquera AAB M.M.C UNADEF

São Paulo São Paulo São Paulo São Paulo

Gaspar Garcia Centre for Human Rights

São Paolo

Trade Union Confederation of the Amercias

TUCA

STREETNET INTERNATIONAL