New Manifesto Workshop in New Delhi 8-9 July 2011

StreetNet Campaigns Coordinator sent a message of greetings to the workshop participants:

"On behalf of StreetNet International, I would like to send you a greetings message and to thank you all for participating in this New Manifesto campaigns planning workshop. This is the second of three regional workshops that are taking place in 2011: the first was in March in Buenos Aires for South and Central America, organized by SIVARA, Argentina; and the third will be in just 10 days time in Nairobi, Kenya, for the African region and organized by KENASVIT.

The New Manifesto campaign is a very exciting plan to develop a grass roots consultation with members and potential members of StreetNet affiliates in order to bring together a set of demands, in a “New Manifesto” of street and market vendors and cross-border traders,  throughout the world.  In this way, the New Manifesto will have legitimacy at local, national, regional and international level and we hope it will prove a powerful lobbying tool to persuade governments and other actors to give voice and representation to informal workers.

Street vendors  around the world are demanding recognition of the right to trade; integration into the tax system, in accordance with progressive principles, the extension of social security to informal workers and the setting up of statutory negotiating forums with local governments. 

There are many more direct and daily issues, in particular harassment and confiscation of goods, arbitrary taxes and fines and sometimes evictions, destruction of property and police brutality. Instead of recognizing that informal traders, the great majority of whom are women,  are trying to make an honest living, they are often treated as little better than criminal. The StreetNet New Manifesto will be living proof that all around the world, street vendors are demanding respect and justice- hence our StreetNet slogan - nothing for us without us!

NASVI’s campaign and media work is an example to all StreetNet affiliates. Their campaign for the implementation of the national policy on urban vendors, dating from 2004 and revised in 2009, has been used to organize vendors and strengthen existing organizations. This work has been accompanied by vigorous media coverage and a legal literacy campaign to strengthen the legal skills of the member organizations and to build strong linkages with supportive lawyers to defend the rights of street vendors.  For these reasons, StreetNet Is delighted that NASVI agreed to host this workshop and are sure it will be a wonderful opportunity for the Asian affiliates to learn more about NASVI’s campaigns and to exchange and plan for the New Manifesto.

I wish you every success with the workshop and look forward to hearing from you afterwards."

TOGO: SYVEMACOT va lancer le Nouveau Manifeste

Le Syndicat des Vendeurs de Matériaux de Construction du Togo a élaboré un plan d'action de la campagne sur le Nouveau Manifeste. L'objectif de la campagne sera d'identifier les organisations des vendeur(es) de marché, de rue et ambulants;  et d'organiser des consultations pour recenser les problèmes;  et de favoriser la création d'un cadre permanent de négociation entre la municipalité et les organisations des vendeurs. Après une phase de consultation dans les 3 régions économiques de Togo (maritime, plateau et centre), il y aura un processus de rédaction du document final, des émissions interactives sur les radios et la télévision et une conférence de presse. Finalement, SYVEMACOT attend organiser une rencontre avec les autorités pour la présentation des revendications.

Congo: La Ligue pour le Droit de la Femme Congolaise répond à la campagne de Nouveau Manifeste

La Ligue pour le Droit de la Femme Congolaise de la République Démocratique du Congo va commencer la campagne de StreetNet du Nouveau Manifeste prochainement. La Ligue pense organiser des consultations populaires à  travers des journées de réflexion pour s'entretenir avec des groupes des vendeurs et vendeuses dans le secteur informel. Ainsi la Ligue va constituer leur NOUVEAU MANIFESTE qui sera présenté aux autorités municipales.  La Ligue va élargir la campagne aux vendeurs et vendeuses de 40 municipalités en Kinshasa et 20 municipalités en Congo/ Brazzaville.

KENASVIT hosts StreetNet New Manifesto Regional Workshop Nairobi, July 18-19

The Kenyan National Association of Street Vendors and Informal Traders (KENASVIT) will be hosting the StreetNet New Manifesto workshop in Nairobi on 18^th-19^th July 2011. The workshop will focus on capacity building for the organisations of informal traders.  Participants  will review a strategy  to undertake participative research among their members, in order to develop a set of demands to negotiate with local authorities and to present at regional and international level. Among the African states represented will be street traders' organisations from Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Senegal and Ghana. In addition, StreetNet’s International Coordinator, Pat Horn, will participate to share the work in progress in other continents, particularly Latin America.  She will also discuss with the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU -K) how best to strengthen the organisation of informal economy workers in Kenya. Wilson Maina, General Secretary of KENASVIT said: "This is the most significant meeting in Kenya pertaining to the informal sector, and denotes an important step in facilitating regional integration to address the issues that street vendors and informal traders face. The conference will conclude with a number of action items and resolutions that each organisation can implement upon return."

Nicaragua-Campana del Nuevo Manifiesto

La Confederación de Trabajadores por Cuenta Propia (CTCP-FNT) también va a empezar la campana del Nuevo Manifiesto durante el ano 2011. El plan es de movilizar a los y las trabajadores por cuenta propia para que expresen sus demandas laborales y sociales.  Se espera formar 4 comités locales incluyendo la Federación de Vendedores de las Paradas de Buses de Managua; la Federación de los Vendedores de los Mercados (Tipitapa y Israel Lewites); la Federación de Vende Celulares;la Federación de Vendedores de los Semáforos. Van a utilizar el guia de StreetNet modificada para reflejar la situación en Nicaragua. Piensan involucrar a otras organizaciones o socios que operan en las zonas.

Peru New Manifesto Campaign in Lima starting soon

FEDEVAL, StreetNet's affiliate in Peru has sent in a proposal to start up the New Manifesto campaign in Lima in 13 districts The campaign is planned to start soon and will include a set of planning meetings, the production of leaflets and media releases, mobilisations in some of the main squares of Lima and a set of focus group discussions to collect the views and opinions of market and street vendors on a wide range of issues which impact on their lives, including  licencing, storage, and social security.  Manuel Sulca, the General Secretary of FEDEVAL said that the New Manifesto campaign is very important in Peru because it will help sensitise the local authorities about the situation of their sector. The international new Manifesto will help Lima's street vendors see that they are not alone in the world.