Skills in ‘unskilled’ work: a case of waste work in Central India

Rajendra, Advaita

doi:10.1080/01436597.2022.2086115

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Informal livelihoods also suffer from a lack of recognition of their work, place of work, and the street market where they operate. Moreover, their skill and accumulated knowledge have been rarely recognized or valued (Rajendra 2022).…”

Section: Precarious Conditions Of Work and Livingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unpacking the Circular Economy: Foregrounding the Contributions of Workers in the Informal Economy in Delhi

sreerupa,

Goel,

Andharia

2023

Preprint

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The circular economy has emerged as a viable alternative to the “take–make–use–dispose” linear economy by encouraging reuse, repair and recycling whenever possible, thereby reducing waste generation and encouraging more conscientious use of natural resources. Although the Global South has a long history of traditional informal livelihoods that are inherently circular and attempt to generate value out of waste to the farthest extent possible, these informal livelihoods remain neglected in research and discourse on the circular economy. This report presents six case studies of informal livelihoods in the city of Delhi. The case studies found that workers in the informal economy are vital to circular production, contributing significantly to managing waste and closing material cycles through promoting repair, reuse, and upcycling of waste. Moreover, the workers in the informal economy help subsidize the cost of living for them in the city by providing affordable goods and services. Despite their positive contributions to the economy and the environment, these informal circular livelihoods are “invisibilized”, “stigmatized” and under constant threat because of unfavourable legislation. Such work is predominantly performed by socially “othered” people, particularly members of lower castes and tribes and religious minorities, due to the social stigma associated with the impurity of waste. Poor widowed/separated and old migrant women from marginalized communities were found to be most vulnerable and concentrated in the lowest-paid and precarious work of waste collection, street vending, and home-based work. The study found that workers in the informal economy are at the core of the circular economy, devising innovative ways to tackle the “throwaway culture” (or rapid waste generation) within their limited means despite the lack of state support and social protection while facing socio-economic marginalization and stigmatization.

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Section: Precarious Conditions Of Work and Livingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unpacking the Circular Economy: Foregrounding the Contributions of Workers in the Informal Economy in Delhi

sreerupa,

Goel,

Andharia

2023

Preprint

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“…A critical body of research also focuses on the multifaceted challenges of the livelihoods of sanitation workers, including how institutions shape this occupation, informality, low and irregular incomes, and arbitrary contracts (van der Wel et al, 2010;Nkansah et al, 2012;Mallory et al, 2020;Xu and Dou, 2021;Rajendra, 2022). This area of focus correlates with current initiatives in the WASH sector around improving sanitary work.…”

Section: Sanitation Workers: Rights "In" Sanitationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sanitation work: Realizing equity and inclusion in WASH

et al. 2022

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Recognition of the human right to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and equity and inclusion concerns around gender, disability and age have led to crucial change in WASH programmes and policy, responding to commonly hidden issues such as menstrual hygiene, inclusive facilities for people with disabilities, and affordable services for residents of informal settlements. Despite progress toward realizing the rights of end users “to” sanitation, this crucial body of work has overlooked the rights of an unseen, diverse population working “in” these services, including those who handle human waste. There are increasing calls within and beyond WASH for sanitation workers - marginalized by their informal and hazardous roles, and intersections of caste, religion and gender - to realize their rights to safe working conditions and social security. Yet, sanitation work has received little attention from equity and inclusion WASH scholars, despite the pressing need to challenge dominant technical, health-centric framings of sanitation that can overlook workers' lived realities. We argue for an intersectional, interdisciplinary approach to support sanitation workers to realize rights to fair living and working conditions, including inclusive WASH infrastructure at work. We draw on the limited literature available to highlight gaps in, and show the importance of the sub-sector of equity and inclusion to engage further with the lived realities of sanitation workers. Increased collaboration between sanitation workers, activists, and allies working on inclusion, labor rights, fecal sludge and solid waste management is paramount to realize sanitation workers' rights and to truly provide “inclusive” sanitation for all by 2030.

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Farming is charming: Informal learning of farmers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

von der Bank,

Pilz,

Venkatram

2024

Int Rev Educ

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The agricultural sector in India has come to prominence as a source of employment and livelihood. It is one of the most significant informal sectors in the country, and one in which informal learning plays a major role. This article analyses the informal learning of farmers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. In the course of this research, qualitative interviews with 34 farmers in Coimbatore were conducted and analysed with regard to informal learning. The findings show that informal learning is lifelong and chiefly takes place at home in a family and peer group context. Informal learning is facilitated by training courses specifically adapted to farmers’ needs, which can help them improve their situation on their respective farms. However, not every farmer attends these courses, indicating a need to strengthen the programmes, conduct information campaigns to raise awareness, and improve accessibility, especially for farmers and agricultural labourers.

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Skills in ‘unskilled’ work: a case of waste work in Central India

Cited by 9 publications

References 34 publications

Unpacking the Circular Economy: Foregrounding the Contributions of Workers in the Informal Economy in Delhi

Unpacking the Circular Economy: Foregrounding the Contributions of Workers in the Informal Economy in Delhi

Sanitation work: Realizing equity and inclusion in WASH

Farming is charming: Informal learning of farmers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

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