Resolution 22: Inclusion of Street Vendors in New Urban Policies

The Third International STREET NET Congress meeting in Benin

NOTING

1. The devastating impact of the urban policies on the street vendors especially of the women street vendors. In the developing cities all over the new urban policies are implemented. Through these Urban Policies new developmental and infrastructure projects are undertaken. These projects are to be implemented and planned in the participatory process. But unfortunately this is not done and in process the vendors in all developing cities are harassed by Urban Local Bodies;
2. the Bellagio Declaration adopted in 1995 “urges the city governments to incorporate street vendors in urban planning processes and urban policies and to promote the institutional mechanism for street vendor association to voice grievances, make demands and resolve disputes with other urban stake holders”;
3. the urgent need to include the street vendors in the urban polices and to protect their livelihood and their natural markets;
4. despite having funds, urban bodies pay more attention to utilizing funds which is meant for the rich like developing parking facility or constructing malls – but projects like developing street market gets lesser importance because of concern and inclination of the civic bodies for select sections of the urban population;
5. the urgent need to ensure that street vendors have a strong voice and representation in the structure and policy making at International, National and Local level;
6. informal trade contributes to the fight against the urban unemployment and promoting the development of nations;
7. The nation needs women and men who are informal traders, and they also need the nation
8. no serious effort has been put in this direction to strengthen and build up a sense of solidarity among the organizations at sub-regional level.

ACKNOWLEDGING

that StreetNet International’s affiliates do not oppose the building of cities or their beautification;

DEPLORES

1. The harassment faced by the street vendors in the hands of the Government and Urban Local Bodies and also the ineffectiveness of the Government and Urban local Bodies in regularizing the Natural Markets of the Street Vendors thereby providing space and licenses to the vendors;
2. the urban policies and actions taken by Government and Urban Local Bodies to impose developmental and infrastructure projects which have devastating effect on the livelihood of the street vendors without participatory process, without negotiations and with the frequent use of violence;

APPLAUDS

Initiatives of STREETNET and its affiliates that

(a) actively encourage and support the development of the National Federations of the street vendors and its affiliate unions;

(b) taking up the cause of street vendors of South Africa displaced and harassed due to FIFA and due to Commonwealth Games in Delhi;

WELCOMES

initiatives by STREETNET and its affiliates in the regions to publicize the good work of many affiliates in building strong unions for the street vendors and progress made in building international awareness of the need to support street vendors organizations;

DEMANDS

1. That governments and urban local bodies respect street vendors rights protects and ensures their livelihood by including them in the urban policies;
2. urban policies which ensure the participation of the street vendors organization;
3. developmental and infrastructure projects should be planned implemented and executed in participatory process with the street vendors organization and the representatives of the street vendors of the affected natural markets;
4. developmental and infrastructure projects for the city under the urban policies should emphasise more on regularizing the natural market in the plan rather than to relocate the natural market at the alternative place;
5. the governments should include unions representing street vendors in the social dialogue forums and tripartite negotiations in formulating urban policies and development and infrastructure projects under;

HEREBY RESOLVES

1. STREETNET should work for the establishment of sustained programmes with the responsibility to manage and co-ordinate and development for street vendors organizations committed to organizing the street vendors in their sector, countries and regions; and to undertake a wide spread campaigns with the organizations of street vendors for inclusion of street vendors in urban policies at International, National and Local Level;
2. To undertake intensive campaigns against poor utilization of resource allocated for urban poor;
3. To sustain campaigns against systematic plans of urban planners to gradually oust street vendors from cities not only by using force but by the compulsion of increasing living cost at the city, also joint campaign with other urban civil society organization for strong social security measures for the urban poor;
4. StreetNet should encourage, facilitate, and implement more programmes with members organizations, affiliated unions or associations for exchanging experiences and best practice and developing new policies and strategies, training programmes for inclusion of street vendors in urban policies for developing cities.
5. StreetNet affiliates should be involved in the planning and budgeting of such projects to enable inputs from vendors and marketers to be considered;
6. The input of informal vendors and marketers should ensure issues with regard to educational facilities, electric power, security and other necessities are provided during relocation of vendors and informal traders to pave way for development;
7. Through its affiliates, StreetNet International must invite world leaders to create a crucible of social dialogue with workers, especially informal traders, in order to find ways and means for their involvement and participation in the planning and management of streets and markets of the towns during their renovations.
8. Street Net should put more energy in building strong network of organizations at sub-regional level.

PROPOSED: NASVI, SEWA, USYNVEPID, Ghana StreetNet Alliance

SECONDED: