The Future is Collective Case Studies of Collective Social Innovation 2025

Since 2022, StreetNet has collaborated with WIEGO to develop research, training and projects and advocate for social protection in Africa that is inclusive of informal economy workers. This project culminated in the African Regional Platform of Demands on Social Protection, a policy framework launched in 2023 in Lagos, Nigeria with stakeholders to outline key demands, including access to affordable healthcare, pensions, maternity benefits and protections against income insecurity. These social protection measures have been designed to be accessible, sustainable and tailored to the realities of informal work. –Expanding access to social protection through inclusion in national systems: Overall, the project is dedicated to expanding access to social protection for informal economy workers across the continent. Recognizing that street vendors and other informal economy workers often lack essential protections like health insurance, pensions and maternity benefits, the project advocates for policies that include them in national social security systems. –Strengthening the capacity of organizations to engage with governments: A major focus is strengthening the capacity of informal worker organizations to engage in policy advocacy and negotiations with governments. Activities include training programmes on social protection rights, workshops on policy analysis and strategic meetings with policy-makers to push for inclusive reforms. The project also conducts research on existing social protection schemes and their accessibility for informal economy workers, helping to identify gaps and propose practical solutions specific to the needs of street vendors. –Gaining a seat at the table for informal economy worker representatives: A key outcome of the initiative has been the successful inclusion of informal worker representatives in national and regional policy discussions on social protection. For example, in countries like Ghana and Senegal, the project has supported informal worker federations in advocating for more affordable health insurance schemes, leading to increased enrolment of street vendors in national programmes. In Kenya and Tanzania, dialogues between informal economy worker organizations and government agencies have resulted in commitments to explore pension and savings schemes suited for informally-employed workers. By building alliances with governments, trade unions and civil society groups, the project ensures that social protection measures are both accessible and sustainable. Through its advocacy, training and research efforts, the project has significantly advanced the recognition of informal economy workers as legitimate stakeholders in social protection systems, paving the way for greater economic security and social inclusion.CASE STORY African Regional Platform of Demands on Social Protection Initiative (in collaboration with WIEGO) The Future is Collective: Case Studies of Collective Social Innovation 54