The Struggle for the Soul of Bhadra Chowk – A Heritage Plaza or Heritage Market? A Case Study from Ahmedabad, India

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Chen, Martha. The Struggle for the Soul of Bhadra Chowk – A Heritage Plaza or Heritage Market? A Case Study from Ahmedabad, India. WIEGO Resource Document No. 27. Manchester, UK: WIEGO.

This case study documents the history of the struggle by street vendors, with the support of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), to retain their right to vend – and their natural market – in Bhadra Chowk, Ahmedabad, India. It brings to light SEWA’s multipronged strategy, which includes: 

  • Organizing on the basis of solidarity, women’s leadership and ownership.
  • Building the capacity of women informal workers, members and leaders.
  • Raising awareness among the general public and policy makers in support of informal workers.
  • Creating an enabling policy and legal environment through advocacy.
  • Engaging in negotiations on an ongoing basis with local government, policy makers and other key stakeholders. 
  • Building alliances of support for knowledge generation, technical assistance and advocacy.
  • Taking legal action, when needed, through public interest litigation and other legal cases.
Informal Economy Theme
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