Advocacy initiatives of Indian Social Institute focus on ensuring rights for the Dalits, Tribals/Adivasis, women, children, minorities and other marginalized communities.The Institute has been engaging with advocating for the rights of the marginalized communities in India and other countries, with the respective governments, as well as with official human rights institutions. Our effort has been to influence the state in various situations to the advantage of the poor and the marginalized. The Institute is active in bringing out advocacy materials on various issues. We also endorse and circulate relevant appeals, signature campaigns and other direct interventional strategies proposed by our partners.

REGIONAL CONVENTION ON SOCIAL SECURITY

FOR THE UNORGANISED WORKERS

HELD IN PUNE, JUNE 28, 2008

The Regional Convention on Social Security for the Unorganised Workers was organised by Indian Social Institute in collaboration with Christian Workers Movement in Pune on 28th June 2008 at Navsadhna, Pune, Maharashtra. Sixty people participated in the convention representing NGOs, academicians, intellectuals, social activists, trade union leaders, unorganised workers, etc. The eminent panelists included Mr R.S Tiwari, Advocate Surender Janrao and Ms Mukta Manohar.

This convention was called in the context of increasing vulnerability and exploitation of unorganised workers as a result of globalisation and the consequent heightened interest in the government circles, and also as part of the decision of the Working Group Members of the Social Security Now (SSN)to spread the movement to 500 districts.

The objectives of the convention were to critically look at various Bills on unorganised sector workers, to assert state responsibility to provide social security in unorganised sector and to strengthen NGOs' role as facilitators and campaigners addressing issues of unorganised sector and also to facilitate a meaningful alliance and coordination of trade unions and people's movements of dalits, women's groups, forest peoples, agricultural workers, etc. with NGOs to build a base for unorganised workers.

Issues taken up during the regional convention included- understanding social security and campaigning by civil society organizations, trade unions, etc. through network and movement for the unorganised workers; labour movement and constitutional rights; and relevance of social security protection to self employed and unorganised workers of Maharashtra.

The workshop looked at the various dimensions of social security and what it means for the unorganized workers. Placing the meeting in a context, the speakers highlighted the need for legislation on social security for unorganized workers, to strengthen them economically and socially, to give them a better identity and to ensure their rights. Legislation is particularly important in a situation where all the existing laws have an implicit exclusion of unorganized workers.

There was an open session where the unorganised workers spoke about the grievances and sufferings they face. It was followed by a group discussion on issues of protecting women workers from sexual harassment, violence and gender discrimination in unorganised sector; New Economic Reforms and social protection of unorganised informal workers; and what prevents the government from not giving social security to the unorganised workers. Pradyumna Bora and T.A. John of Indian Social Institute, New Delhi, Advocate Vijayan Peter Bhaskaran and Father V. Louis of Catholic Workers Movement, Pune were organizers of the event.