The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines social security as, “The security that society furnishes, through appropriate organisation, against certain risks, to which its members are exposed. These risks are essentially contingencies against which the individuals of small means cannot effectively provide by his own ability or foresight alone or even in private combination with fellows.”
Social security to the poor is one of the commitments of the Indian Welfare state, bringing an equal level field for the poor and people who were discriminated against historically by the caste system.
Hasiru Dala perceives social security as the state assurance and support for livelihood in absence of living wages.
Ambikaa: A proud waste manager
Stories by Hasiru Dala
Challenges
Identity
Traditionally, waste pickers have been outside the formal waste management systems, rendering their contributions unrecognized by the state, and rendering the waste pickers themselves without access to government benefits.
Waste pickers are unaware of many schemes that they are entitled to and new schemes that are announced have no way of reaching them. Many who live on the pavement or rental land or in a slum have major challenges to provide proof of residency, which is required by the State to determine the person’s identity – which is key for accessing any social security.
Caste certificates, which recognise marginalised communities, are fundamental to many of the schemes that waste pickers can avail. In order to get a caste certificate, they require a school certificate that mentions their caste; however many have not attended school. The school certificate of children helps getting caste certificates for their fathers; however, their mothers cannot avail it. If the mother can establish the caste through her father or siblings the caste certificate can be availed. In a patriarchal lineage society, it is a major challenge for women.
Digital Divide
In Karnataka, there has been an effort to digitise most of the government schemes in order to increase the efficiency. Called SAKALA (which means “In The Right Time”), this tool has streamlined the governance system and reduced leakages in money meant for welfare schemes. However, there is a digital divide for waste pickers, and many times they are not able to access or understand the requirements needed for online applications.
For example, in 2017 the Karnataka Government reported that the number of waste pickers’ children who accessed education schemes reduced after the scheme application was digitised.
Migrants who have documents from their hometowns, have no access to social security in the state they currently work in. Portability of welfare schemes is not possible at this point of time, so they are unable to avail any food security or other welfare schemes at their place of work.
Our Approach
Since its inception, Hasiru Dala has been facilitating access to social security for waste pickers and their families.
Step One
When we start work in any city, our first step is to approach the local government to issue Identity Cards to waste pickers.
We started with government recognized Occupational Identity Cards to bring awareness to their contribution in the waste system, including saving the city government money, and mitigating climate change through recycling.
The BBMP-issued Occupational Identity Cards have the Hasiru Dala logo on the back, along with the logo of the city and signature of the Commissioner. Later Hasiru Dala with other organisations worked toward this becoming codified in the National Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Having an Occupational Identity Card opens the door to having social security with material benefits for the waste pickers.
Step Two
The second step is helping establish proof of residential/home address.
Step Three
The third is to help waste pickers gain financial inclusion by identifying and applying for different schemes available to all poor of the state. Not all schemes can be accessed by everyone. Schemes are based on set criteria – these criteria can be age, disability, gender, caste, income or widowing, and no person can fulfil the criteria for every single scheme. On an average, at least 4-8 schemes can be availed by individual waste pickers or their family members.
Special schemes that are specific to waste pickers are education scholarships of Rs. 3,500 a year. NSKFDC (National Safai Karmachari Development Corporation – National Sanitation workers Commission) has special training, educational and entrepreneurs’ loans for waste pickers and their children.
Training for children of waste pickers and to upskill waste pickers to take a professional job within the waste sector is also conducted on a regular basis directly by Hasiru Dala or in collaboration with other organizations. Hasiru Dala works with Alliance of Indian Wastepickers nationally and many networks in the state to address policy for social security nationally and at the state level.
In special times like the COVID-19, relief activities were also taken to support the community in crisis.