PRESENTED BY-SHARDUL KAMATE

ROLL NO-1012

Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)

Rural Marketing“Empowerment of Poor Women on a Large Scale”

IntroductionSEWA is a National Trade Union

Established by Shri Elaben Bhatt in 1972

An organization of poor, self-employed women workers

Who earn a living through their own labour or small businesses

They are the unprotected labour force of our country

93% of the workforce is in the informal economy SEWA organizes informal women workers.

THE INFORMAL ECONOMY

SEWA’S GOALSSelf-Reliance

◦ Economic◦ Decision-making and control

Full Employment

◦ Food Security

◦ Social Security- health care- child care- insurance- shelter- pension

1. Have more members obtained more employment ?

2. Has their income increased ?

3. Have they obtained food and nutrition ?

4. Has their health been safeguarded ?

5. Have they obtained child-care?

6. Have they obtained or improved their housing ?

7. Have their assets increased ? (e.g. their own savings, land, house, work-space, tools or work, licenses, identity cards, cattled and share in cooperatives; and all in their own name

SEWA’s Eleven question

SEWA’s……….

8. Have the worker’s organizational strength increased ?

9. Has worker’s leadership increased ?

10. Have they become self-reliant both

collectively and individually?

11. Have they become literate?

SEWA movement SEWA adopts an Integrated & Need based Approach to Organizing It is a member-based movement of about 7,00,000 poor, informal sector women workers of India

Works in 7 states of India

14 districts of Gujarat, covering 50% of the State of Gujarat

SEWA’s membership in Gujarat – 5,35,674

2/3rd of SEWA members live in rural areas

Members represent more than 125 different kind of trades

There are about 3500 local producers groups and 9 Economic Federation

Scaling-up in the Recent PastMembership Growth in GujaratFrom 1070 in 1972 to 535674 in 2007

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

1972 1977 1982 1987 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year Membership

Geographical Coverage

◦ Started with organizing in Ahmedabad City

◦Now operates in 14 districts of Gujarat

◦ 7 states in India

◦Other countries – South Africa, Yemen, Turkey etc.

Following activities are carried for the upliftment of women in society

Vocational training

Capacity building training

EDP Program

ConclusionThe Task force and Trade Security Fund must be formed keeping in mind thelong term implications of women’s participation in trade as driving force foreconomic growth and development.

Linkages have to be established with private sector and civil societyorganizations. Such partnerships should address the needs of all thestakeholders involved, thus creating a win-win situation for high economicgrowth and development.

Bibliography

Annual Report of SEWA

Broacher of SEWA Academy

www.sewa.org

www.sewaacademy.org

www.sewaresearch.org