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
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  • Global Meetings
  • 1st Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-1) on Plastic Pollution in Uruguay

1st Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-1) on Plastic Pollution in Uruguay

Punta del Este, Uruguay, Nov. 28 - Dec. 2 2022

Abstract

The first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, will take place in the Punta del Este Convention and Exhibition Centre from 28 November to 2 December 2022. The International Alliance of Waste Pickers will have a delegation. More information » read the post

The first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, will take place in the Punta del Este Convention and Exhibition Centre from 28 November to 2 December 2022. The International Alliance of Waste Pickers will have a delegation. More information about the meeting.

Check how we were present at UNEA 5 in Kenya last March.

Index of contens

Report #

INC-1_uruguay_2023_report_EN_international-alliance-waste-pickers_compressed

Dowload report.

Meet our delegation #


These are the waste picker leaders that participate in this first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee:

    • Maria Soledad Mella Vidal, Chile.
    • Silvio Ruiz Grisales, Colombia.
    • Indumathi, India.
    • Maditlhare Koena, South Africa.
    • Estela Mary Recalde, Uruguay.
    • John Xavier Chweya, Kenya.
    • Barbra Sue Weber, United States of America.
    • Luis Alberto Catalano Trias, Uruguay.
    • Adja Mame Seyni Paye Diop, Senegal.
    • Lefa Mononga, South Africa.

Group of Friends of Waste Pickers #

The core objectives of the Group of Friends are to mobilize and coordinate political and technical support to ensure that the interests of waste pickers are reflected in the treaty, and to ensure that the knowledge and expertise of waste pickers informs the treaty discussions.

Objectives

  • To serve as a platform for regular exchange, dialogue and consultation among member state representatives, groupings and specialized agencies about experiences and good practices with waste pickers to inform the plastic treaty debate.
  • To provide a forum where member state representatives and engage with and learn from waste pickers and their associations.
    To coordinate positions in areas of the negotiations related to waste pickers.
  • To enhance advocacy and outreach activities in areas of the negotiations related to waste pickers.
    To provide the forum for waste pickers to speak and share ideas and concerns about the ongoing process, with less time limitation.

Timeline

The Group of Friends will function throughout the plastic treaty negotiation process. The group will be officially launched in the first Intergovernmental Committee meeting to negotiate the plastics treaty in November 2022.

General principles

The Group of Friends adheres to these principles:

  • Waste pickers, whether in formal associations/cooperatives or informal settings, are workers, and play a critical role in recycling.
  • Waste picker organizations are the legitimate representatives of waste pickers and the Friends agree to be guided by such organizations in the negotiation process.
  • Waste pickers, along with other workers in the plastic system, deserve a just transition to fairly-remunerated, healthy and sustainable work in every country.
  • Waste pickers must be represented in every stage of national policy design, as the treaty is implemented.
  • The details of waste pickers involvement in the global plastics treaty process within the respective countries shall be communicated and shared publicly.

Membership

Participation in the Group of Friends is voluntary, informal and led by the Member States. Membership is open to all UN Member States who wish to actively participate.

Download this summary document in English (also available in Spanish).

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Presentation of the group

Speech at the informal briefing “Inaugural meeting of the friends of waste Pickers Group” on November 27th, 2022:

Today at the Intergovernmental Negotiations Committee (INC) meeting of the Plastic Treaty process (in Punta Del Este, Uruguay), representatives of member states met and inaugurated the Group of Friends of Waste-pickers*, a platform to hear waste-pickers concerns in the ongoing negotiations, and ensure that the plastics treaty has provisions mandating engagement with the waste-pickers. Mr Adrian Pena, Minister of Environment, Uruguay inaugurated the meeting and said, “a legal framework must be established and ensured for the fair transition of waste pickers to new working conditions and, taking care of their sources of income. An honest and inclusive transition for all, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind.” Ms Mamogala Muskene, Director of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, and member of the South African delegation chaired the meeting. Ms Muskene encouraged the member states to ensure waste-pickers interests are reflected in the future treaty.

Representatives from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Chile, Colombia, Norway, Burkina Faso, Niger, Kenya, Norway, Brazil and Ecuador took the floor and welcomed the initiative. Delegates from Algeria, Mali, Tanzania, Vietnam, South Korea and Bangladesh and member state representatives from the Americas and Europe were present in the room.

Luis Catalano, Estela Ricaldo, Soledad Vidal, Silvio Ruiz, John Chweya, Adja Diop, Barbra Weber, Indumati, Maddie, waste-pickers from Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Kenya, Senegal, United States, India, South Africa shared that waste-pickers seek just transition for waste-pickers and other workers in the plastic value chain discussion part of the Plastics Treaty process. Waste-pickers ask for representation of waste-pickers in the ongoing negotiations.

The Group of Friends of Waste-pickers is a voluntary, informal platform led by the Member States. Membership is open to all UN Member States who agree to the principles of waste-pickers inclusion in the Plastics Treaty process. The International Alliance of Waste-pickers initiated the process of constitution of the Group of Friends in the plastics treaty process. WIEGO – Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing, Government of Uruguay, Tearfund GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Norsk institutt for vannforskning (NIVA) supported the International Alliance of Waste-pickers in the process of constitution of the group.

 

Waste Pickers demand recognition of their occupation and definition of Just Transition in the INC discussion #

Read the full document (3 pages, download PDF).

Demands-for-the-first-INC-International-Alliance-of-Waste-pickers