Landmark Indian Street Vendors Act a victory for SEWA and all workers
Published: 27/02/2014
The bill was passed in the Lower House of Parliament last year but only adopted on February 19, 2014 by the Upper House following a concentrated press (including a hunger strike in New Delhi) by SEWA and allied organizations,
“This is a proud moment for us at SEWA as we have struggled hard to improve the situation of street vendors, many of them women who were earlier denied the right to a respectful livelihood and subjected to severe exploitation. With the passage of this bill, street vendors who represent a major chunk of unorganized sector in India shall be recognized as workers and also guaranteed with social security cover,” says SEWA’s Manali Shah.