We, the leadership of the International Alliance of Waste Pickers—Severino Lima Junior (President), Sushila Sable (Vice President), and Maditlhare Koena (Treasurer)—extend warm greetings on this day of unity and remembrance.
International Waste Pickers Day marks a crucial moment for us. We gather on this day to rally around the plastics treaty. This treaty must recognize our rights in international law, reduce plastic pollution, and guarantee a just transition for waste pickers. Our vital work in material recovery, recycling, and reuse actively combat plastic pollution and address climate change. A treaty with mandatory just transition provisions will uplift over 40 million waste pickers worldwide, secure our livelihoods, and affirm our essential role in safeguarding our planet. We call on governments to finalize this treaty without delay, and we urge every waste picker to advocate for a future that respects our contributions.
We honour the memories of our comrades who tragically lost their lives in Colombia on March 1. We stand in solidarity with the courageous waste pickers who face violence daily on dumpsites and streets and with those in Dakar who are enduring displacement from their workplace without viable alternatives. The livelihoods of waste pickers are under increasing threat. Governments close dumpsites and landfills without consulting us, even though we depend on these spaces for our work. Our courage, resilience, and commitment to a better world fuel our global movement and inspire our fight for justice.
We celebrate every waste picker organization and movement that commemorates this day. Our collective commitment drives community progress and ignites transformative change worldwide. We encourage every waste picker to share details of local commemorative events with our regional coordinators so we can amplify our voices on social media. We also invite you to organize marches, events, social media campaigns, and live broadcasts showcasing our strength and purpose.
Join us for a town hall on March 31, where IAWP leadership will present our progress report, listen to your valuable input, and address your questions. More details will follow soon.
Let us unite with passion and purpose as we strive for a fair, sustainable future for all waste pickers.
In solidarity,
Severino Lima Junior
President, International Alliance of Waste Pickers
Sushila Sable
Vice President, International Alliance of Waste Pickers
Maditlhare Koena
Treasurer, International Alliance of Waste Pickers
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