A just, equitable future of work begins with the voice of workers.

Kenya, Uganda, Ghana

The Inclusive Labor Institute (ILI) is a worker-led, Global South-based knowledge center on the conditions and experience of work for the 2 billion+ essential workers who power the informal economy and the future of work. ILI provides grassroots worker organizations and grasstops advocates a platform for sharing information and collaborating on opportunities to improve the standing, and strengthen the voice of informal workers. ILI empowers workers by expanding knowledge through a data-driven, grassroots-led approach and partners with organizations throughout the Global South to provide a comprehensive understanding on the conditions of informal worker, especially for women workers. Launched by the Global Fairness Initiative (GFI) and a coalition of grassroots partners, ILI provides a platform for engagement and access to data and information for Global South and Global North organizations alike. This includes online training tools, digital technology, and a catalogue of Institute-led and partner-sourced studies. Through the Inclusive Labor Institute, GFI give individuals and organizations tools, information and a collaborative space to advance labor rights, women’s empowerment and social and economic progress so that communities of promise can become centers of prosperity.

India

Over the past decade, climate disasters in India have upended thousands of small and marginal producers and workers lives and livelihoods. Across sectors, informal and vulnerable workers, primarily women, are disproportionately impacted by climate change and are pushed further into poverty as they struggle on the front lines of the climate crises. Since 2000, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and the American India Foundation (AIF) have worked to enhance financial stability and prosperity for its members through the transition to green technology and into the green economy in what is termed as building ‘climate resilience’. SEWA and AIF help build the skills, capacity, and confidence of workers to have livelihood security and resources to withstand the changing physical landscape and the significant increase of climate and economic shocks. In 2024, Global Fairness Initiative (GFI), an international NGO with experience in evaluating economic empowerment of women, assessed the impact of SEWA’s and AIF’S on-going initiatives designed to engender inclusive financial growth and development through climate resilience. The following report focuses specifically on SEWA’s and AIF’s efforts, and the economic and social impact of those efforts, while also articulating the investment framework and financial partners and model used within each case study. The purpose of the report is to present different case examples of climate-linked financial models and their scope, structure and impact. Through primary and secondary data collection, GFI’s assessment found that small and marginal producers, mainly women, gain stability and security as a result of targeted financial solutions that address specific climate challenges. When initial investments are activated, women producers reported sustained increases in their income, and a reinvestment of their income into their businesses and to climate friendly solutions linked to livelihood security. Furthermore, opportunities for expanded investments by SEWA and AIF to sustain and scale up successful models can provide further wrap-around support to deepen resilience against climate shocks for workers and communities.

India

Over the past decade, climate disasters in India have upended thousands of small and marginal producers and workers lives and livelihoods. Across sectors, informal and vulnerable workers, primarily women, are disproportionately impacted by climate change and are pushed further into poverty as they struggle on the front lines of the climate crises. Since 2000, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and the American India Foundation (AIF) have worked to enhance financial stability and prosperity for its members through the transition to green technology and into the green economy in what is termed as building ‘climate resilience’. SEWA and AIF help build the skills, capacity, and confidence of workers to have livelihood security and resources to withstand the changing physical landscape and the significant increase of climate and economic shocks. In 2024, Global Fairness Initiative (GFI), an international NGO with experience in evaluating economic empowerment of women, assessed the impact of SEWA’s and AIF’S on-going initiatives designed to engender inclusive financial growth and development through climate resilience. The following report focuses specifically on SEWA’s and AIF’s efforts, and the economic and social impact of those efforts, while also articulating the investment framework and financial partners and model used within each case study. The purpose of the report is to present different case examples of climate-linked financial models and their scope, structure and impact. Through primary and secondary data collection, GFI’s assessment found that small and marginal producers, mainly women, gain stability and security as a result of targeted financial solutions that address specific climate challenges. When initial investments are activated, women producers reported sustained increases in their income, and a reinvestment of their income into their businesses and to climate friendly solutions linked to livelihood security. Furthermore, opportunities for expanded investments by SEWA and AIF to sustain and scale up successful models can provide further wrap-around support to deepen resilience against climate shocks for workers and communities.

Tunisia, Ghana, Liberia +2

Women compose a majority of members within worker associations and unions, however, leadership positions and high-ranking offices remain dominated by men. Although progress has been made over the past half century towards achieving gender equality in the fields of employment, business, political participation, and leadership, the situation of informal women workers remains harsh, and the implementation of programs targeting gender equalities and societal changes has been slow and uneven. This report investigates the underrepresentation of informal women workers in Africa’s organizing movement, with a focus on six African countries: Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Tunisia. It underscores why womenare not joining organizing movements (unions and workers’ associations), and when they do, why do they continue to face discrimination and seldom reach leadership positions. Through examining the context of informal women workers’ participation, we can outline and understand the challenges that stymie their ability to obtain leadership positions, and what are the opportunities for overcoming these barriers.