Entrepreneurs Association (EA), in collaboration with Nagaland State Legal Service Authority (NSLSA), Kohima DLSA, and Capri Foundation organized a program commemorating World Labour Day, to empower women street vendors, on May 1. The theme for the event was “Uniting workers for social and economic advancement” and it was conducted at Red Cross Building Conference Hall, Kohima.
Mao Baptist Church Women pastor, Lokho Nisa blessed the program followed by a short introduction to the Women Street Vendors program by EA advisor, Neikule Doulo.
Doulo, in her speech, stated that since its inception in 2000, EA has been working for promotion of entrepreneurship in Nagaland and in the North East Region. However over the last few years, she said it was seen that while young people were increasingly taking up business, women vendors fail to grow or expand their businesses. In view of this, EA has chosen to intervene and work with these vendors, study their problems and try to understand how they can be helped to empower themselves.
She mentioned that since October 2017, EA has conducted trainings for these vendors in Phek, Mokokchung, Kohima, Dimapur and Pfutsero, reaching out to about 1000 vendors.
Most women street vendors do not have long term savings
65% save only annually
35% do not have any savings
26% women street vendors in Kohima are single
A large number of them have dependents
She stated that the program has found that a majority of vendors do not have any long term savings. 65% of them save only annually for the Christmas season or for academic admissions of their children. 35% of these women vendors do not have any savings. In Kohima, the EA found that 26% of women vendors do not have husbands, are single mothers or widows. According to Doulo, these numbers are the highest in the State which indicates a trend where women move to the Capital with the hope of a better life when they are deprived of support.
EA’s study also found that even after their children are older, large numbers of these women vendors have dependents like ailing parents or family members in distress.
Nearly 40% of them have never attended school, in contradiction to the high literacy rate of Nagaland.
Duolo also stated that EA’s trainings comprise of at least two cycles, where women are trained on financial management, customer service, ethical business, legal rights and health care. The organization hopes to carry on with this work in all districts across the state of Nagaland and beyond, she added.
DC and member of District Legal State Authority (DLSA) Kohima, Anoop Khinchi, in his short speech stated that the EA is not only helping vendors but is also uplifting and helping farmers and consumers. He was also of the view that vendors should also be educated about consumer rights.
Khinchi also stated that with the help of the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC), he will look into solving the problem to accommodate all vendors and organize more programs to help make them aware of their rights.
Kohima DLSA presented a role-play skit on the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Liverpool and regulations of street Vending) Act, 2014. In the skit, the DLSA highlighted that five years after the “Street Vendors Act” was passed, vendors in Nagaland continue to be at the mercy of civic bodies, the district administration, Police and other agencies.
NSLSA member secretary, Mezivolu T Therieh said that Nagaland is yet to implement the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, which falls into the unorganized work sector category.
Stressing on the need to implement this Act in the State, she said that once it is implemented, the State can formulate certain summaries of schemes notified by the appropriate government in consultation with local authorities and town vending committees. According to Mezivolu, the Act also protects street vendors from being evicted mechanically.
She further pointed out that 93% of the 440 million workers in India are in the unorganized sector.
To encourage women vendors, the EA had promised an incentive of Rs. 2000 to anyone who saves more than Rs.10,000. So far, seven women were able to save the said amount. The women earned 100-400 daily and the highest saving reached Rs. 91,300.