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Homenet SEA Joins HNSA’s Advocacy for Change

Homenet SEA Regional Coordinator Rosalinda Ofreneo and  PATAMABA leader Lourdes Gula participated in  the workshop “Change and Impact on Homebased Workers” organized by Homenet South Asia and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 7-8 September 2009, Hotel Heritage Village, in Manesar, Guragon, India.  Guests, network links  representing various organizations supportive of homebased workers, and Homenet South Asia’s  homebased worker leaders  from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India graced the event.

Homenet South Asia, in its background paper,  mentioned that building a network does not happen overnight, and that it is even more difficult when it is a network of women workers who are poor, and invisible homebased workers. But today,  HNSA has emerged as a dynamic and vibrant network of 600 organizations representing over 300,000 homebased workers from five countries in South Asia – Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It has evolved as a focal point and the collective voice of homebased workers in the region.

Mirai Chatterjee of the more than one-million strong Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) of India gave the inaugural address on “Organizing for Social Security.” Around 400 million workers in India's unorganized sector (informal economy) who often get a raw deal can now hope for old age pension, health insurance and other benefits, thanks to a newly passed act of parliament  which SEWA had been demanding for years.

Dr. Rosalinda Ofreneo chaired the session on Day 2, “Addressing Vulnerabilities and Innovative Initiatives”   where the different forms of social security schemes in the region available to homebased workers were discussed.  One of the main speakers during the session was Director Suraj Bhan of the Ministry of Labor who made a presentation on “Capturing Homebased  Workers in Government Schemes and Programs” focusing on social protection and related concerns.
               

An interesting  session dubbed as World Café  featured participatory conversations with homebased workers from India, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines.  In that  focused and authentic dialogue, Lourdes “Baby” Gula obliged to be one of the participants, graciously sharing her  experiences as child worker, personal insights, and struggles , allowing a peep into the ups and down in her life, and  revealing  some sense of fulfillment and self worth when she finally found her calling as leader of  homebased women workers  which she considers her family. Baby was asked how she envisions her organization (PATAMABA) five years from now, and this was her response: Continuing expansion,  formation of local chapters, and creation of new leaders, who are  committed to the organization as  advocates to empower sister homebased workers. For a couple of decades now,  there were attempts  towards financial  sustainability, which is important for a grassroots women’s organization to last.  This may have been elusive but PATAMABA has not and will not give up the fight.  Even more important is continuous training, skills and knowledge development  in order not to stagnate.