INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF WASTE PICKERS

The International Alliance of Waste Pickers is a union of waste picker organizations representing more than 460,000 workers across 34 countries
Supported by Logo WIEGO

Constitution Launching Congress

Virtual, October 29th, 2022


Abstract

On October 29th, 2022 we held a Virtual Congress to Launch Our Constitution, which allows us to formalize ourselves as an international organization of waste pickers.


Monday Oct. 17th
Congress internal constitution adoption by prospective affiliates
Saturday, Oct. 29th
Constitution Launching congress

Congress launch times. Oct. 29, 2022

New York Buenos Aires – Chile South Africa New Delhi Bangladesh
8:00-11:00h 9:00-12:00h 14:00-17:00h 17:30-20:30h 18:00-21:00h

We have been fighting for many years for the recognition of our work, our profession and our rights. Now, with the strength of hundreds of waste pickers’ organizations in 26 countries around the globe, we are launching our Constitution. It will give us the foundation to build a solid bottom-up waste picker global organization, after a long period of international networking without a formal registration.

In 2005, we started RedLacre, the Latin American Network of Recyclers. Four years later, we formed the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers (GlobalRec). Finally, in the last two years, through a constitutive process, we have developed a joint vision that allows us to achieve a worldwide unity of waste pickers.

On October 29th, 2022 we held a Virtual Congress to Launch Our Constitution, which allows us to formalize ourselves as an international organization of waste pickers. We are pleased to invite you to a very important event for all waste pickers around the world!

Watch the congress again

The congress is available to watch in the following languages:

English Español Português Français বাংলা ভাষা Bengali हिन्दी Hindi Bahasa Indonesian मराठी Marathi Wolof नेपाली Nepalese Türk / Turkish

Slides with all the presentations are available (download slides in full resolution).

221029_constitution-launching-congress-slides_international-alliance-waste-pickers_p

Where we are #

Highlights / Key information #

Our Constitution

Download the constitution in different languages:

English Español Português Français বাংলা ভাষা Bengali हिन्दी Hindi Bahasa Indonesian नेपाली Nepalese

international_alliance_waste_pickers_constitution-2022-english-v3

Important reports and manifestos

Solidarity messages

Vídeos from different colleagues and allies. Watch the full list!

Speakers #

Agenda #

Time as of Buenos Aires. See time zone converter.

time Event Speakers
9:00 Official starting time-Interpretation and technical points -
9:10 Welcome and presentation of the Agenda Chair: Lucía Fernández (WIEGO / Globalrec, Uruguay)
1st part: Acknowledging our history Chair: Johnson Doe (Kpone LWPA, Ghana)
9:17 Welcome remarks and introductions Severino Lima Jr. and Aline Souza (MNCR, Brazil)
9:30 Our history of organizing internationally Sushila Sable (AIW, India) and Harouna Niasse (Bokk Diom, Senegal)
9:45 Expressing solidarity: first part messages from allies (videos)
2nd part: Looking at the future Chair: Yenny del Carmen (MNRP, Panama)
10:00 Process towards the Constitution Josefa Marín (Sure We Can, USA)
Pat Horn (WIEGO, South Africa)
10:05 Preamble of the Constitution (video)
10:15 Introducing the adopted Constitution Kabir Arora (Globalrec / AIW, India) and Carolina Palacio (Globalrec / FACCyR, Argentina)
10:37 Moving forward: affiliates, elections and interim governance Sally Roever (WIEGO, USA) and Sergio Sanchez (FACCyR, Argentina)
10:47 Expressing solidarity: second part messages from allies (videos)
3rd part: Shaping our present Chair: Samuel Le Coeur (Amelior, France)
11:05 Our common agenda: fights and demands
11:10 Our environmental agenda: UN Plastic Treaty, Extended Producer Responsibility and Climate Change Soledad Mella (ANARCH, Chile), Taylor Cass Talbott (WIEGO / Globalrec, USA),
Kulsumm Begum (Bangladesh Waste-pickers Union), Amira Halabi (WIEGO / Globalrec, Sierra Leona)
11:27 The right to work: dumpsite closing alternatives and ILO agenda Nohra Padilla (ANR, Colombia), Eva Mokoena (SAWPA, South Africa)
4th part: Closing Chair: Shanti Tamang (Samyukta Safai Jagaran, Nepal)
11:39 Concluding remarks Mirai Chatterjee (SEWA, India)
11:47 Vote of thanks and acknowledgements Shanti Tamang, Lucía Fernández

Prospective affiliates #

List of Prospective affiliates and observers from the adoption session on October 17th 2022 session.

# Region Country Representative Name of the organization Status
1 Africa Ghana Divine Dekonor Kpone Prospective Affiliate
2 Africa Senegal Harouna Niasse Bokk Diom Prospective Affiliate
3 Africa Burkina Faso Souleymane Sampebgo ATTAC/CADTM Burkina Prospective Affiliate
4 Africa Democratic Republic of Congo Anne Matondo Ligue pour les Droits de la Femme Congolaise ( LDFC) Prospective Affiliate
5 Africa Kenya John Chweeya KeNaWPWA Prospective Affiliate
6 Africa Mali Ibrahima Sidibé l'Association Maliennes des Trieuses de déchets sur les dépôts AMTDDO Prospective Affiliate
7 Africa Nigeria Friday Oku NASWON Prospective Affiliate
8 Africa South Africa Lefa Mononga SAWPA Prospective Affiliate
8 Africa South Africa Luyanda Hlatshwayo ARO Prospective Affiliate
9 Africa Benin Fifame Farolle Houngbo FINANMIN Prospective Affiliate
10 Africa Niger Zeinabou Habou Barma FENASEIN Prospective Affiliate
11 Africa Guinée Absent EGIG BTP Prospective Affiliate
12 Africa Togo Absent SYNAPROME Prospective Affiliate
13 Asia India Sushila Sable Alliance of Indian Waste-pickers Prospective Affiliate
14 Asia Bangladesh Maksud Bangladesh Waste-pickers Union Prospective Affiliate
15 Asia Indonesia Pris Polly IPI Observer
16 Asia Nepal Shanti Tamang Samyukta Safai Jagaran Prospective Affiliate
17 Europe Italy Pietro Luppi ReteOnu Observer
18 Europe France Samuel Le Coeur Amelior Prospective Affiliate
19 Latinamerica Brasil Alex Cardoso MNCR Prospective Affiliate
20 Latinamerica Colombia Nohra Padilla ANR Prospective Affiliate
21 Latinamerica Argentina Leonor Larraburu FACCyR Prospective Affiliate
22 Latinamerica Chile Soledad Mella ANARCH Prospective Affiliate
23 Latinamerica Panama Yenny del Carmen MNRP Prospective Affiliate
24 Latinamerica Bolivia Absent Red de Recolectores de Bolivia Prospective Affiliate
25 Latinamerica Dominican Republic Robinson Movimiento Nacional de Recicladores de República Dominicana Prospective Affiliate
26 Latinamerica Ecuador Elvia Pisuña RENAREC Prospective Affiliate
27 Latinamerica Mexico Abel Balderas Unión de Trabajadores de Desechos Sólidos Industrializables Lázaro Cárdenas del Río Prospective Affiliate
28 Latinamerica Uruguay Absent UCRUS Prospective Affiliate
29 Latinamerica Honduras Absent Movimiento Nacional de Recicladores en Honduras Prospective Affiliate
30 Latinamerica Nicaragua Absent Mesa Nacional de Recicladores de Base de Nicaragua Prospective Affiliate
31 Latinamerica Paraguay Absent Asociación El Progreso Prospective Affiliate
32 Latinamerica El Salvador Absent - Prospective Affiliate
33 North America USA Ryan Castallya (on behalf of Josefa Marin) Sure We Can Prospective Affiliate
33 North America USA Barbie Weber GroundScore Prospective Affiliate
34 North America Canada Absent Binners Project Prospective Affiliate

Global Alliance of waste pickers milestones 2008-2022

Materials to share #


Event banner


Speakers