The International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP) is participating in the upcoming Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) meeting to prepare a legal instrument to deal with plastic pollution. The INC-3 meeting is the third in a series of meetings to negotiate a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution.
IAWP delegates INC-3 Nairobi.
Presentation event
In Nairobi, we will host an event, Uniting for Just Transition, where we will be celebrating a year of the constitution of the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP), an essential milestone towards the formalisation of our alliance, a union of waste pickers organizations representing more than 460,000 workers across 34 countries
The event is organized together with WIEGO, the University of St Andrews, UNICATADORES, and the generous hospitality of the Embassy of Brazil in Nairoibi.
We want to present our IAWP position for a Just Transition for Waste Pickers under the UN Plastic Treaty, which outlines the essential steps that need to be taken to ensure that the transition of all workers, particularly waste pickers is ensured, leaving no one behind.
- Registration form
- Event Date and Time: 15th November 2023, Wednesday, from 13:15-14:30h.
- Event Location: The Embassy of Brazil in Nairobi
- Address: Embassy of Brazil. 123 Gardenia Rd, Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya (1.5 km from UN Complex)
The recording of the event will be uploaded to our website and social media.
IAWP’s Recommendations for Member States Regarding the Zero Draft
The International Alliance of Waste Pickers expresses its appreciation for the inclusion of “Just Transition” in the Zero Draft of the proposed legal instrument addressing plastic pollution. We recommend that the objective of this instrument explicitly include a reference to “just transition.” These are our recommendations for member states.
IAWP’s Position Paper on Just Transition
The IAWP position paper outlines the essential steps that need to be taken to ensure that the transition to a circular economy for plastics is fair and inclusive for all workers, particularly waste pickers. These steps include:
- Recognizing and formalising the role of waste pickers in the plastic waste management system.
- Providing social protection and decent work conditions for waste pickers.
- Investing in training and capacity building for waste pickers.
- Ensuring that waste pickers have a meaningful say in the design and implementation of plastic waste management policies and programs.
Waste pickers are essential to the global plastic waste management system. They collect and sort recyclable materials, which helps to reduce pollution and conserve resources. However, waste pickers often work in hazardous conditions and are denied basic labour rights.
IAWP’s position paper and summary
“The International Alliance for Waste Pickers, advocates for just transition as a core obligation for implementation in the future UN Plastics Treaty, mandating genuine integration with legal recognition of waste pickers’ work, who have been recycling most plastic worldwide for decades”, said Lucia, Acting General Secretary of the IAWP, “along with the incorporation of all workers who will be affected by the transition away from avoidable and single use plastic production.”
Apart from organising the event, the IAWP will also be presenting its position on the zero draft of the global plastic treaty.
Joint statement with unions
Because waste pickers are not the only workers that are going to be affected by the Plastic Treaty, we have joint efforts for this INC-3 to have an unified voice with other international workers unions: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), IndustriALL, Public Services International (PSI), the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) and the The International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP).
Other events
Additionally, our delegation will be presenting waste pickers perspective on the ongoing negotiations in different side events organised by UNEP, member states and other relevant stakeholders in United Nations Complex, Gigiri, Nairobi:
- Empowering waste workers on the path to a just transition
Real-life stories and expert perspectives on turning words into action
Co-hosts: UN Habitat & The Circulate Initiative.
Date: November 14, 2023
Time: 7 – 9 pm EAT
Venue: Alchemist. Parklands Road, Westlands
- Circular Economy
Promoting circular economy to retain plastics in the economy and out of the environment, including innovation and expanding the share of circular plastics
Date : November 16th, 2023
Time: 1pm EAT
Venue: Same as INC-3 (UNON HQ, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri).
- Transition to circular economy
Event title: Socio-economic considerations in the transition to circular approaches to plastic, including human rights approaches and inclusion of the informal waste sector
Date : November 17th, 2023
Time: 1pm EAT
Venue: Same as INC-3 (UNON HQ, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri).
The side events will have participation of member states, environmental, labour and civil society organisations, think tanks and representatives of the business coalition. As the negotiations proceed, we will be participating in more events and plenaries, to be updated on the website.
Check our website for all the details about our participation at INC-3. The website will be updated daily to include the details of the position presented by IAWP during these negotiations.
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