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Research Reports

Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations

By on April 01, 2014

Waste pickers, like other informal workers, make important contributions to their cities. The Informal Economy Monitoring Study (IEMS) is evaluating the realities that informal workers face, the forces that affect them, and their contributions to the urban economy. In Pune, India, 73 waste pickers participated in focus group discussions and a survey was administered to 150 waste pickers. The findings are summarized in this report and were used to develop relevant policy recommendations that appear on the last page.

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Sumário Executivo (português)

Resumen Ejecutivo (español)


The Informal Economy Monitoring Study (IEMS) is designed to provide credible, grounded evidence of the range of driving forces, both positive and negative, that affect conditions of work in the urban informal economy in 10 cities over time. Specifically, it examines how informal workers are affected by, and respond to, macroeconomic trends, urban policies and practices, value chain dynamics, and other economic and social forces. Learn more about the Informal Economy Monitoring Study.

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Citation Information

WIEGO. Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations. , , . WIEGO, 2014. https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IEMS-Pune-Waste-Picker-Policy-Recommendations-WIEGO.pdfWIEGO. (2014). Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations. , , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IEMS-Pune-Waste-Picker-Policy-Recommendations-WIEGO.pdfWIEGO. "Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations." WIEGO, 2014, .WIEGO. "Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations." (2014). https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IEMS-Pune-Waste-Picker-Policy-Recommendations-WIEGO.pdfWIEGO 2014, 'Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations', , , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IEMS-Pune-Waste-Picker-Policy-Recommendations-WIEGO.pdf WIEGO, 'Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations' (2014). WIEGO. Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations. . 2014. https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IEMS-Pune-Waste-Picker-Policy-Recommendations-WIEGO.pdfWIEGO. Pune’s Waste Pickers: Realities & Recommendations. . 2014. , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IEMS-Pune-Waste-Picker-Policy-Recommendations-WIEGO.pdf

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WIEGO is at the forefront of developing statistics and research to help audiences understand the informal economy. Our library includes over two decades-worth of informal economy research, policy analysis, statistics and documentation of organizing efforts.