ABSTRACT
To investigate the types of interventions that might effectively promote socio-economic security for informal economy workers, I explore the work-life experience of women working in the Indian informal economy who are members of the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). As a trade union for women employed in the informal economy dedicated to promoting the socio-economic security of its members, SEWA was selected as an appropriate place to recruit participants for the study. SEWA provided ready access to appropriate informants and, as an institution internationally recognised for its expertise and experience in achieving work-life reform for informal workers (International Labour Offi ce 1997; World Bank 2001), it was expected that a critical evaluation of the SEWA model might provide useful insights into the kinds of strategic interventions that promote informal productivity. SEWA’s comprehensive and holistic approach to securing work-life reform for members is of particular interest. Moving beyond the singular provision of credit, business and banking services that shape an orthodox policy response to informal enterprise development, the SEWA model includes services that promote worker’s social security, legal protection, cultural recognition and economic productivity. Although several scholars have documented the SEWA model (Chen and Dholakia 1986; Rose 1992), few have undertaken a detailed investigation into the underlying dynamics whereby the reported socio-economic change is activated and sustained. This study seeks to address this gap in the literature.
