Cooperation among workers in the informal economy: A focus on home-based workers and waste pickers

This joint report by the International Labour Organization and WIEGO aims to deepen understanding on the nature and role of cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy (SSE) enterprises and organizations in formalizing the informal economy. This report, which focuses on waste pickers and home-based workers, is a result of action research, a global mapping and survey conducted with members of existing cooperatives and other SSE enterprises and organizations, complemented with a literature review of existing studies. It summarizes the findings of this research, including the challenges and  opportunities around the economic viability and sustainability of organizing through cooperatives and other SSE enterprises and organizations.

A presentation summarizing the main findings was presented at an ILO seminar, “Cooperation among workers in the informal economy”, in Geneva, on 3 July 2017.