This Second International Congress of StreetNet:
NOTING
1. that StreetNet International has an extensive programme of exchange visits between affiliates, started during the first three-year plan from 2003 2005 but ongoing during the current three-year period from 2006 2008;
2. that StreetNet is involved in an additional programme of exchange visits in our joint UNI-StreetNet programme in francophone West Africa;
3. that we have experienced two instances of abuse of exchange visit funds.
HEREBY RESOLVES to adopt the following criteria, in addition to (and to strengthen) the existing administrative requirements and procedures, in relation to all exchange visits supported by StreetNet:
(a) The purpose of exchange visits is to learn more about the following from each others experiences:
– organising strategies appropriate to workers in the informal economy, particularly market vendors, street vendors and hawkers;
– how collective bargaining is done (what are the issues, which authorities are the negotiation partner, how does the organisation structure its own negotiating teams, how do the negotiating teams report back, etc.)
– what gains have been made for the members, and how far can such gains be replicated;
– how do the organisations build, administer and sustain themselves;
– how do the organisations build their leadership (particularly women leadership) and develop their capacity;
– comparison of organisational systems and structures, and how well they work;
– what common experiences they have which they would like to share with other organisations of market vendors, street vendors and/or hawkers.
(b) StreetNet funds allocated to exchange visits are to be used exclusively for the realization of the abovementioned objectives.
(c) Organisations participating in exchange visits are expected to make a contribution (however small) to the costs and such contribution should be clearly indicated in the financial reports.
(d) None of StreetNets funds allocated to exchange visits may be used by participants for personal spending money. Participants who wish to make purchases in the country they are visiting have to organise their own private funds for this purpose.
PROPOSED: AZIEA, Zambia
SECONDED: KENASVIT, Kenya
