9. Organizing informal sector workers and building networks

This chapter focuses on approaches to organize women working in the informal sector and build successful networks, examining trade (labor) unions, NGOs, and cooperatives as vehicles for change. It discusses five different components of network-building: choosing an organizational base, cultivating a shared identity, determining key benefits, organizing for outreach, and building awareness and alliances. As examples from China and India reveal, the institutional context shapes the structure, focus, and reach of informal sector organizations and networks.