This work focuses on documentation of how the working poor experience urban policies and planning processes, approaches to infrastructure and service delivery programmes and their organisations.  This is with a view to identifying and disseminating policy approaches and organisational practice that have resulted in securer livelihoods.  This work has often started by collating existing evidence on particular worker groups with the urban informal economy.

Waste pickers

Global synthesis of organising and policy practice:  'Refusing to be Cast Aside: Waste Pickers Organising around the World' (downloadable link to booklet) contains many of the current better practices in policy and organising across the globe.  This documentation commenced at the First World Conference and Third Latin American Conference of Waste Pickers, held in Bogotá, Colombia in March 2008. 

Africa review of literature on waste collection: Melanie Samson's review of literature (downloadable link to RR no.2) synthesises a vast body of literature on waste collection in Africa, outlining trends and identifying gaps. 

Brazil experience of collective action and policy:  Brazil is an example innovative attempts to incorporate waste pickers into formal waste management systems.  Sonia Dias, whose PhD work focused on waste and citizenship forums in Brazil, is currently developing materials reflecting this experience. 

Street traders

Latin America regional review:  Sally Roever is documenting current knowledge of the policy and organisational environment for street traders in Latin American.  This will complement WIEGO reviews of street trade dynamics in Africa (Skinner) and Asia (Bhowmik).  (downloadable links to these two reviews)

Peru cases of innovative organisational practice:  Sally Roever has analysed the Red de Mujeres (Women's Network) and the Red de Comunicadores (Communicators' Network) in Peru (forthcoming in the briefing note series).

India analysis of the implementation of India's national street trading policy:  Shalini Sinha, has completed research analysing the process of securing but also implementation India's national street trading policy.  This policy is a rare example of a national street trader policy. (forthcoming in the briefing note series).   

South Africa documenting the Warwick Junction Project:  The Warwick Junction in inner city Durban for 10 years was a case of good practice of street trader management and support.  WIEGO has supported the book and photographic exhibition Working in Warwick: Including Street Traders in Urban Plans.   

Homebased workers

Asia review of evidence:  Ratna Sudarshan of the Institute for Social Studies Trust in New Delhi, assisted by Shalini Sinha, is currently working on an overview paper reflecting on what is known about home based workers in South Asia in general, and in India in particular.  Among other issues this will consider trends in organising and policy responses. 

India innovative approaches to basic service delivery, the case of the Mahila Housing Trust:  Particularly critical to homebased workers is improved basic service delivery.  Sara Rusling, a British researcher whose Masters evaluated the Self Employed Women's Association's Parivartan slum upgrading programme in Ahmedabad, has completed a briefing note summarising the findings of the impact of this programme.   

• Rusling, S. 2010. Approaches to Basic Service Delivery for the Working Poor:  Assessing the Impact of the Parivartan Slum Upgrading Programme in Ahmedabad, India.  Briefing Note, No. 1.