With this research, we could look forward to the integration of formal and informal waste workers under one umbrella to enhance the efficiency of the overall waste management sector.
Waste workers are highly marginalized as they lack access to even the basic facilities such as health care and education. Their work makes them vulnerable to occupational hazards due to lack of proper mechanism for waste handling and management. Besides that, poor hygiene practices and living conditions, societal stigma attached to their profession, lack of access to public services and social networks are other pressing issues for waste workers.
By better understanding the waste workers and the organizations working in waste, it will help us identify the problems in waste. Knowing the gaps will help us to plan and find the appropriate solutions to improve the lives of waste workers and the whole field of waste management as a whole.
Why is CREASION undertaking this project?
CREASION wants to honor waste workers who are an integral part of keeping our societies clean. waste pickers are part of the informal workforce involved in managing recyclable waste and diverting it from ending up in landfills. Despite playing such an important part in our daily lives, they lack recognition and respect for their work. Therefore, we want to learn more about their situation.
What will the outcomes of this project be?
The database of waste collectors containing their demographic information, occupational detail and state of waste workers in Nepal will let us know about the problems in waste management and the organisations working in waste. With this knowledge, we can strengthen the waste management network and come up with the appropriate solutions in the waste management sector.
What does CREASION plan to do with this outcome?
CREASION has been working to improve the waste management sector with projects such as Recycler Saathi and assist waste workers with the Waste Workers Emergency Relief Program (WWERP). We further wanted an overview of the working state of waste workers and build interventions suited for their upliftment.
What activities have been undertaken for this research?
A survey of waste pickers and organisations working with waste pickers in 5 provinces of Nepal in 17 locations have taken place: Bagmati Province (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Bharatpur, Hetauda), Lumbini Province (Bhairahawa, Butwal, Nepalgunj), Province 1 (Biratnagar, Itahari, Dharan, Dhankuta, Damak, Jhapa), Province 2 (Rajbiraj, Lahan), and Gandaki Province (Nawalparasi).
Who is supporting the project?
We are supported by Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), a global network focused on empowering the working poor, especially women, in the informal economy in securing their livelihoods.
