Last Updated:
July 8, 2008

What's New

Homenet SEA in Asia-Pacific Coop Congress on Solidarity Economy .

Three members of the Homenet Southeast Asia secretariat - Rosalinda Pineda Ofreneo, Primar Jardeleza, and Josephine Parilla- joined the 2nd Asia Pacific Congress of Cooperatives in discussing the theme "Towards Building a Solidarity Economy - Revisioning Globalization from the Perspective of Cooperatives, Trade Unions, and People's Economies" held at the  University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations, May 15-16, 2008.

Dr. Ofreneo served as a plenary panel presentor, discussing  the paper "Towards Fair Trade and Sustainable Livelihood for Women Informal Workers in a Globalizing ASEAN"  

Homenet SEA joins  panel in  8th ASEAN-IUC on Social Development

Dr. Rosalinda Pineda Ofreneo , Regional Coordinator of Homenet Southeast Asia presented a paper entitled "Bridging the Gender and Formal/Informal Divide in Labor Movements within a Globalizing ASEAN", during the 8th ASEAN Inter-University Conference on Social Development to be held on May 28 to 31, 2008 at the Century Park Hotel in Manila, Philippines.

The ASEAN IUC was the first of its kind, inviting both academics and civil society advocates to join panels, interact with each other, and present joint resolutions.

AAC Joins Homenet Southeast Asia Family

Representatives of Homenet Southeast Asia participated in three major ASEAN-related gatherings in October and November, 2007, advocating for an ASEAN Social Charter, ratification of key ILO conventions by ASEAN member countries, universal health insurance,  legislation for informal workers ( who comprised 156 million or  63.7 percent of total ASEAN employment in 2006), and support for fair trade groups and other social enterprises.

BUILDING A REGIONAL PRESENCE IN ASIA

Leaders of Homenet Southeast Asia, Homenet Thailand, PATAMABA –Homenet Philippines and Homenet Laos participated in the Regional Workshop on “Homebased workers in Asia Building a Regional Presence,”on April 7th and 8th, 2008 at Hotel Ramada Plaza Palm Grove, Juhu Beach, Mumbai (Bombay) 400 049, Maharashtra, India. 

Homenet SEA Subregional Workshop 2007: 

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) 
and Fair Trade Advocacy to Strengthen
Membership-Based Organizing

Leaders of national Homenets from Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, and the Philippines as well as representatives from fair trade groups in Cambodia and Timor Leste converged at the old Amari Airport Hotel in Bangkok 16-18 November to learn from each other  in the Fourth Subregional Workshop conducted by Homenet Southeast Asia with the support of FNV,  UNIFEM-ESE Asia and Oxfam Hong Kong.

Homenet Pushes Asean Advocacy

Representatives of Homenet Southeast Asia participated in three major ASEAN-related gatherings in October and November, 2007, advocating for an ASEAN Social Charter, ratification of key ILO conventions by ASEAN member countries, universal health insurance,  legislation for informal workers ( who comprised 156 million or  63.7 percent of total ASEAN employment in 2006), and support for fair trade groups and other social enterprises.

Dream for better labor rights in ASEAN   with Dr.Surin Pitsuwan, ASEAN Secretary General Designate

Incoming ASEAN Secretary General for 2008 Dr Surin Pitsuwan as the forum’s Keynote Speaker emphasized the crucial role of civil society, NGOs and trade unions  in establishing balance in the ASEAN in terms of attaining political security, economic stability and socio-cultural development. In the past, economic competitiveness led to a “race to the bottom” by using lowest wage,  provision of limited social protection and neglect of  environmental problems.  in order to reduce cost and attract foreign investment., there was no obligation to fulfill  labor rights in accordance with international standards  This way of development led to unfair growth, exploitation and increasing gap between the rich and the poor.

PHILIPPINE MAGNA CARTA FOR INFORMAL WORKERS PUSHED

Broad based policy advocacy for a rights-based  legislation for informal workers, who now comprise 24.6 million or 76 percent of total employed, took a significant leap with the formation of MAGCAISA (Magna Carta for the Informal Sector Alliance) in October 2OO7. 

Informal Labor Resurgence Under Globalization:
HomenetSEA Speaks at AMRC 30th Anniversary.

Homenet Southeast Asia, through its Regional Coordinator Rosalinda Pineda Ofreneo, shared its experience in organizing homebased workers in Indonesia, Laos, Philippines and Thailand  as well as its knowledge of the lessons from SEWA’s rich history in India during the 30th anniversary conference of the Asia Monitor Resource Center (AMRC) held at the BP International Hong Kong 27-28 August.

Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy Filed in Congress

House Bill 1955, known as the Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy, was filed by Rep. Dan Fernandez in the Philippine House of Representatives second week of August.

This bill, based on a previous version filed earlier by Rep. Juan Angara, was the result of months of advocacy and critiquing spent by Homenet Philippines and one of its most active member organizations, the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines. Its main contents were presented to Rep. Fernandez by network members in a dialogue held last week of July. After further comment and refinement, the revised version was filed as HB 1955 and became the subject of press conference held August 14 at the Sulo Hotel.

The next step will be the committee hearings where various versions of the Magna Carta will be discussed and reconciled.

Homenet Philippines Pushes Advocacy Agenda on Homeworkers' Day

Workers in the informal economy comprise 22 million or 75 per cent of all employed in the Philippines, based on the 2002 Labor Force Survey. Of this number, there are at least six million homebased workers most of them women who are multi-burdened and subjected to discriminatory practices because of their sex. Among them are subcontracted homeworkers who have no written contracts with definite employers, suffer from substandard wages even while they shoulder the cost of work space and utilities , lack social protection, access to training and other resources, and are vulnerable to occupational health and safety hazards.

Homenet Southeast Asia Joins a Conference-Workshop on OSH and other forms of Social Protection for the Informal Sector

Guided by the theme Advancing OSH and Other Forms of Social Protection in the Informal Sector, Homenet Southeast Asia was one of the convenor-sponsor organizations in a Conference-Workshop held at the School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR) Auditorium, University of the Philippines, Diliman on July 13-14, 2007.

SRW 2007: Fair Trade Standards and Occupational Safety and Health to strengthen membership based organizing among homebased workers.

Homenet Southeast Asia’s  Subregional Workshop (SRW)  on Fair Trade  Standards and Occupational Safety and Health(OSH)  to Strengthen Organizing among Homebased Workers will be held at the old Amari Airport Hotel,  Bangkok, Thailand 16-18 November to be jointly sponsored by Homenet Thailand, UNIFEM-ESE Asia and Oxfam Hong  Kong.

Homenet SouthEast Asia Calls for Solidarity for the people of BURMA.

We in Homenet Southeast Asia add our voice to those of peace-loving groups all over the world who are strongly protesting against the violent suppression by the military junta of the rights of the people of Burma to freedom of expression and peaceable assembly.

HOMENET Philippines Issues Resolution for the Immediate Ratification of
ILO Convention 177 on HomeWork

The issuance of this resolution was decided upon by all the 38 participating organizations (including 11 trade unions) during the Dialogue on the ILO Convention on Home Work condcuted on the 27th day of September 2006, at the Sulo Hotel, under the joint sponsorship of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines and Homenet Philippines, a broad coalition of 23 organizations of homeworkers and NGOs focusing on homeworker concerns. A full copy of this resolution may be downloaded from this website.

Homenet Philippines

Exploring Alternative Responses to Unfair Trade
The PATAMABA Experience

Globalization, smuggling, trade issues, excessive increase of oil and the economic crisis, slowing down of sales in local and export market are the main problems that confront home based workers particularly women. In the Philippines, low priced products from China and Korea and other parts of Asia has also affected the sales of the local producers. These products can be found elsewhere and are sold not only in Metro Manila but also in the Visayas and Mindanao regions whose unabated spread directly compete with locally produced products.

Homenet Indonesia

Advancing Fair Trade : The Indonesian Women Home-Based Workers' Way
By Dr. Hesti Wijaya, Homenet Indonesia

Like the rest of the world population. Indonesian women home-based workers suffer from the negative impact of free trade and globalization ruled by WTO. Their economic and social rights as women home-workers are not given due recognition.

Homenet Thailand

Developing A Marketing Plan for the Northern Homebased Workers

Homenet North (part of Homenet Thailand) conceptualized an action plan for starting a Small Business Association (SBA).

The target groups for this market development project are the homeworkers from the six provinces in Thailand - Chiang Mai, Lamphune, Lampang, Phrae, Nan, Phayao and 19 leaders who will be in charge of production development processes.

Homenet Lao PDR

Attaining Social Security, Labor Rights and Empowerment Through Grassroots Cooperation
by Khantone Phamuang, CDEA Coordinator, Lao PDR

In 2004, the government of Lao PDR unveiled its new policy supporting local not-for-profit organizations (NPOs) as partners in the socio-economic development of the country. CDEA (Community Development and Environment Association) was officially registered with the Lao PDR government on 26th February 2004, under the supervision of the Lao Union of Science and Engineering Association (LUSEA), Lao PDR Prime Minister’s office.

Fair Trade Experiences in Cambodia, Vietnam and Timor Leste

Cambodia
Responding to the Challenges of Fair trade

Timor Leste
Fostering Pride In Traditional Arts and Crafts

Vietnam
Seeking New Markets for Traditional Artisans

New Homenet SEA Book on Social Protection Comes Out ... and Travels

A 320-page Homenet Southeast Asia publication entitled Social Protection for Homebased Workers in Thailand and the Philippines came out just in time for a soft launching...

Homenet SEA now WIEGO member

A ten-member contingent representing Homenet Southeast Asia, Homenet Thailand, Homenet Indonesia, and Homenet Thailand crossed continents to participate in the First General Assembly of Women in Informal Employment Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) held in Durban South Africa April 21-23 .
The Assembly approved WIEGO’s new governance structure and Steering Committee, and gave inputs to WIEGO’s five programs: organizing and representation, social protection, research and statistics, urban policies, and global markets.

CDEA Lao PDR joins Homenet Southeast Asia

The Community Development and Environment Association (CDEA) has formally accepted the invitation to join Homenet Southeast Asia as a network concerned with homebased workers’ issues in Laos. CDEA has been conducting activities sponsored by Homenet Southeast Asia and implemented in partnership with Homenet Northeast (part of Homenet Thailand) in 2005 and early 2006.