African home-based workers are at the bottom of craft supply chains. Through an increased understanding of those supply chains they could overcome some of the challenges they are facing and improve their livelihoods.
Las discusiones sobre las desigualdades de salud se centran a menudo en los obstáculos que los pobres enfrentan en lo que concierne al acceso a los servicios de salud. Esto es, sin duda, un aspecto importante en el debate sobre la provisión de estos servicios.
Discussions about health inequalities often focus on the barriers that poor people face in accessing health services. This is certainly an important aspect of the debate on health service provision. What is often missed, however, is the fact that many poor people are also workers, particularly informal workers, who may experience particular barriers to access based on the nature and place of their work, and may have occupational health needs as well as a need for general health services.
On March 7, 2018, John Makwicana passed away at the age of 71. John fearlessly took on the challenging battle of defending the rights of street vendors in his city of Durban, South Africa -- and, against many odds, won. His victory entrenched the constitutional rights of street vendors, and was a major step forward for vendors across Durban and beyond. John's unwavering determination inspired informal workers around the world, and his legacy will be carried on in their own fight for justice.
Rahul Mehrotra is a practicing architect, urban designer, and educator. He is Professor of Urban Design and Planning and Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University, where he recently co-taught a course, “Livelihoods and Urban Form,” with WIEGO’s International Coordinator Martha Chen. He discussed with the WIEGO Blog how urban planning can better integrate informal livelihoods and the problems with current notions of “world-class” cities.
Myrtle Witbooi never intended to become a domestic worker. She had planned on studying nursing, but when a family asked her to help caretake for their daughter, who was recently burned, she agreed. For the next 12 years, she lovingly looked after the growing child and her siblings and, unwittingly, became a full-time domestic worker. However, it wasn't until a local newspaper published an article disparaging domestic workers that Myrtle became an activist.
