SELF-EMPLOYED WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION (SEWA)
1. Context
Shri Elaben Bhatt the founder of the Self-Employed Women's Association passed away on 2nd November.
2. About SEWA
SEWA is the single largest Central Trade Union registered on 12th April 1972 with a membership of over 2.1 million (2021) poor, self-employed women workers from the informal economy across 18 states in India.
| With the Gandhian principles of Satya (Truth), Ahinsa (non-violence), Sarvadharma (integrating all faiths. all people) and Khadi (Propagation of local employment and self-reliance), SEWA has been working for almost 5 decades to improve the livelihoods of poor self-employed women workers from informal economy, through various initiatives using technology, technical training, microfinance, market linkages, natural resource management etc. across over 125 different trades with the twin goals of Full employment and self Reliance. |
3. History
- Since 1972, SEWA membership has grown at a steady pace, drawing self-employed women from many different trades into the union; from vegetable, vendors to incense stick rollers, from junksmits to waste recyclers.
- With an annual membership fee of just Rs10, SEWA allows anyone self-employed to become a member.
- It grew out of the Women's Wing of the Textile Labour Association (TLA), India's oldest and largest union of textile workers founded in 1920 by Anasuya Sarabhai and Mahatma Gandhi.
- The original purpose of the Women's wing was to provide training in sewing, spinning, knitting, embroidery and other welfare activities to the wives and daughters of mill workers.
- The Women's decade, beginning in 1975 also gave a boost to the growth of SEWA, placing it firmly within the women's movement.
4. Pathbreaking initiatives
- Of the small number of working women in India, as many as 94 per cent were self-employed in the informal sector, with no access to credit.
- The SEWA bank was started in 1974 which gave birth to the microfinance movement across the world.
- In 1996, the International Labour Organisation recognize the concept of National Markets in cities and the rights of vendors to earn their livelihoods in them.
- The Unorganised Workers Social Security Act (2008), the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (2011) and
- India passed the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act (2008), the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (2011), and In 2014, the Street Vendor's Act to recognize the concept of Natural Markets in cities and the rights of vendors Act to recognize the concept of Natural markets in cities and the rights of vendors to earn their livelihoods in them.
- The significant victories were the result of a long and tenacious struggle by SEWA, bringing visibility, voice and validity to the work of the unorganized sector workers of the country.
- The PM Steet Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM-SVANidhi) scheme is seen as being inspired by SEWA's microfinance model.
4.1 Ethnic Embroidery of Gujarat
- Among the many institutions launched by SEWA is a clothing line named after its oldest artisan, Hansiba from Radhanpur in Patan district, which has collaborated with French and British designers to take the ethnic embroidery of Gujarat to the world, through its women.
- Hansiba collaborated with Sabha, a livelihood support organisation in Pakistan, to organise a fashion show in 2013.
- Apart from Delhi and Mumbai, Hansiba retails in Europe, Australia, the Americans and Japan and is a regular at the Santa Fe International Fok Art Market.
- In Ahmedabad, SEWA runs a cafe that serves affordable hot Gujarati and South Indian meals; It also sells vegetables grown on its farms, pulses and spices.
| During the Pandemic, SEWA launched Anubandh, an e-commerce platform to connect sellers with buyers, to keep kitchen fires burning through the lockdowns. |
5. Four Pillars of SEWA
- To facilitate members' representation, economic empowerment, collective strength and increased bargaining power, SEWA follows an integrated approach of organizing, capacity building, providing social security and asset creation thus enabling members to become owners and managers of their trade and empowering women with 3Vs-Voice, Visibility and Viability.
- Practically, the strategy is carried out through the joint action of unions and cooperatives.
5.1 Organizing
Collective organized strength through worker's associations to actively participate in the planning, implementation and monitoring processes of programs meant for these women workers and also in all other affairs of the nation.
5.2 Capacity Building
To stand firm in the competitive markets i.e. access to infrastructure, technology, information, education, knowledge and relevant skills.
Assets ownership is the surest weapon to fight vulnerability to poverty.
5.3 Social security
At least health care, childcare, shelter and relief to combat the chronic risks faced by the women workers and their families.
5.4 Capital Formation
At the household level, SEWA facilitates access to financial services to build and create assets of their own.
6. Conclusion
- The struggles and challenges are equally wide ranging from fair wages, health care, insurance, banking and housing, to skill upgradation, market access and training.
- The issues are confined to the self-employed in India alone.
- Self-employed women in South Asia, South Africa and countries in Latin America, have also started SEWAs to meet local challenges.
For Prelims & Mains
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For Prelims: Textile Labour Association (TLA), SEWA, SEWA bank, International Labour Organisation, Street Vendor's Act, the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act (2008), the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (2011), PM-SVANidhi, Anubandh.
For Mains:
1. Discuss the contributions of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) as a meeting point for poor, Indian women (250 words)
2. What are the Pathbreaking initiatives of SEWA (250 Words)
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Source: SEWA
