UNEA-7 STATEMENT
IAWP In nearly every country on earth, waste pickers are active in the recovery of materials for reuse and recycling, with great benefit to human and environmental health. Gl...
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF
WASTE PICKERS
WASTE PICKERS
The International Alliance of Waste Pickers is a union of waste picker organizations representing more than 460,000 workers across 34 countries
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Posts by International Alliance of Waste Pickers
A Breakthrough for Informal Economy Workers at COP 30
Victories in the Policy Sphere The Informal Economy Workers Movement scored a significant victory at the recently held United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC...
IAWP Statement on the Climate Finance Discussions in COP 30
Waste pickers are already delivering measurable climate benefits. We reduce methane by diverting organics from landfills, cut CO₂ emissions by recovering plastics and recyclables...
Statement of the International Alliance of Waste Pickers for Climate Change COP30
Waste pickers: essential climate workers for a just and zero-waste transition Across the world, millions of waste pickers—mostly workers in the informal economy—collect, sort, ...
Press conference | Compost for the win: How COP30 can deliver methane cuts and good jobs
Date & Time: November 11, 5:00–5:30 PM BRT Location: Press Conference 2, Area D, Hangar Convention and Fair Centre of the Amazon, Belém Webcast: https://unfccc.int/cop30/...
Land, Housing, Work — and Recognition: Waste Pickers Join Global Movements in the Vatican
International Alliance of Waste Pickers statement – October 24, 2025 At the Fifth World Meeting of Popular Movements, held at the Vatican from October 21–24, the voice of waste...
Waste Pickers’ Voices at the UN Plastics Treaty: Soledad Mella Calls for Binding Just Transition
Geneva, August 4, 2025 — At the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC 5.2) on the Global Plastics Treaty, Soledad Mella, delegate of the International...
Waste Pickers Express Deep Disappointment Over Lack of Progress at INC5.2 Plastics Treaty Negotiations
Press Release The International Alliance of Waste Pickers expresses deep disappointment at the continued lack of agreement at INC5.2 of the Plastics Treaty negotiations. The failur...
Press Release: Indigenous Peoples Caucus, Waste Pickers, and Unionized Workers Demand a Binding Plastics Treaty That Centers Justice, Rights, and Real Solutions
Geneva, 7 August 2025 — As negotiations advance at INC-5.2 for a Global Plastics Treaty, frontline groups representing Indigenous Peoples, waste pickers, and unionized workers ac...
Waste Pickers at the Table: IAWP Delegates Head to INC-5.2 in Geneva
As negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty begin at INC-5.2 in Geneva, the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP) proudly presents the delegates—waste picker leaders...
#ILC2025 CONCLUSIONS: Convention on Biological Hazards in the Working Environment
The third panel presented the adoption of the first global legal instrument focused on biological hazards at work. While more technical in scope, IAWP emphasized the importance of ...
#ILC2025 CONCLUSIONS: Regulating the Platform Economy
The second panel focused on a groundbreaking new Convention to regulate digital labor platforms. The ILO’s proposed legal framework introduces binding standards to protect platfo...
#ILC2025 CONCLUSIONS: Addressing Informality and Promoting the Transition to Formality
The first panel emphasized the global scale and urgency of tackling informality, which affects nearly 60% of workers and 80% of enterprises worldwide. Despite the adoption of Recom...
Report to Executive Council: Our Work from May 1 to October 31, 2024
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The plastics treaty finance mechanism
Lessons from other Multilateral Environmental Agreements regarding access for waste pickers and other grassroots groups
“From Informality to Dignity: Advancing Social Protection and Justice for All Workers” Theresa Bul full speech at the Transition from the informal to formal economy panel. #ILC2025
Chairperson, distinguished delegates, I am Teresa Bul, a Nigerian waste picker from Lagos State, speaking on behalf of WIEGO and the International Alliance of Waste Pickers. The in...
Global Position Paper on Formalization: Collective Action for Risk Reduction and Decent Work
This position paper was developed for the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) to contribute to the General Discussion on innovative strategies for addressing...
Integration of Waste Pickers into Mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes – South Africa
JUST TRANSITION OF THE INFORMAL RECYCLING SECTORCASE STUDIES Integration of Waste Pickers into Mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes South Africa The informal recyclin...
Legal Recognition of Waste Pickers – Brazil
Waste pickers in Brazil, known as catadores, have been pushing for formal recognition and social protection over the last 20 years
Organising and Integrating the Informal Recycling Sector in the Solid Waste Management Sector – India
The informal waste recycling sector in India accounts for around 4 million people, including waste pickers, local kabadiwaalas (small scrap aggregators), larger aggregator/junkyard owners, and intermediate dealers, or other middlemen playing a significant role in the recovery and recycling of resources.