Background
            Workers in the Informal Economy have a lot of problems. Even though national statistics showed their vital role in contribution to national economic growth and had significant portion in the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) but they still invisible in the society. They have less opportunity to access to the national development. No legal acceptance to get labour rights standard. Working with highly risks from irregular jobs, low paid, long working hours and other poor working conditions with limitations of social protection system providing from the state.
            Homeworkers Network has been established in June 1992 from homebased producers as well as concerned NGOs in Bangkok, the North and the Northeast of Thailand under ILO project on Social Protection Promotion. After the project closed down in 1996 the network keep on operating until present in the title of “ Informal Workers Network or Homenet Thailand”
            In 1998, NGOs working within the network established “Study and Development Center of Homeworkers” as the coordination center of Homenet Thailand with later on, in 2003, registered as “ Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion”.

Objectives
The objectives of the foundation are as follow:
1) To enhance homeworkers’ capacities in production and management.
2) To promote and strengthen informal workers’ organizations.
3) To promote labour standard and social protection among informal workers.
4) To influence government policies in relation to the legal and social protection of informal workers.

Strategies
The foundation is operating under following strategies;
1. Conduct studies and researches to disseminate information on informal workers to the society as well as employed findings to gear directions of promotion, development and policy advocacy for informal workers.
2. Raise potential on organizing and income generating for homeworkers.
3. Develop and support initiatives on social protection for informal workers.
4. Advocate for government policies in relation to the legal and social protection of informal workers.

Target groups

            In the beginning, the foundation through regional networks has been reaching out to homebased producers both self-employed and sub-contracted workers. Later on, the foundation expanded its activities to cover other groups of informal workers for instance contracted farmers, waste pickers, domestic workers, motorcycle drivers and workers in services sector. The foundation work directly with those target workers or work through their supporting NGOs.
            During late 2007, there were about 144 groups of homebased workers affiliated to the network. In terms of their characteristics, 80 groups are own account with self- employed workers and 31 groups are subcontracted workers. For 40 groups play both roles, subcontracted and self-employed workers. At the same time, Homenet Thailand also expanded the network to collaborate with other informal workers, which include 14 groups of agricultural groups and the other 3 groups from services sector. Within 151 groups, there are 6,637 workers, 1,606 male and 5,031 female. These workers were involved in about 40 occupations such as sewing, shoes making, food processing, gem cutting, cloth weaving, basket weaving, doll making, wooden toys making, boat maintenance, shrimp processing, crab processing, agricultural production, local fishing and mulberry paper making etc.

The In formal workers, network

            Homenet Thailand is operating through the regional networks which have autonomy to develop their own regulation or bylaws. Each regional network will operate according to its own plan which in general under policy of the national network. The national board members were nominated from each region. It consists of 21 committee members, 4 representatives from each region. The president as well as other officials is elected among the regional representatives. The board member meets every 3 months, 4 times a year. The duty of the national board is to supervise and monitor the activities at the national level, as well as fund raising for the national and regional activities. The overall information of each network is;

Northern Network
            Northern Homebased Producers Network consists of 2,473 self-employed and subcontracted workers engaged in 85 Groups. These groups located in 8 upper northern provinces, Chiangmai, Chiangrai, Lampang, Lumpoon, Phayao, Uttaradit. Nan and Phrae. Most of its members are engaged in handicraft production such as sewing and food processing.

Northeastern Network
            Northeastern Women Network consists of 1,465 members from 23 groups of homebased producers and contracted farmer located in 6 provinces in the northeastern part of Thailand, Khon Kaen, Roi-et, Surin, Nakornratchasima, Srisaket and Sakolnakhon. They are involved in the following occupations; cloth weaving, sewing, fishing net making, agricultural seed production, noodle producers and artificial flower making etc.

Bangkok Network
            Bangkokian Informal Workers Network is formed within several sub-sectors such as sewing, bronze ware, ornament production, embroidery, motorcycle drivers and etc. There are 178 members from 11 groups.

Southern Network

            Southern Informal Workers Network has organized 1,782 members from 15 groups of homebased producers and sub-contracted workers located in 5 provinces, Songkla, Patalung, Nakorn Si thammarat, Pattani and Narathiwat. Its members involved in crab processing, lubber latex collecting, prawn processing, basketry, hand embroidery, motorcycle drivers, contacted farmers and etc.

Central Network
            Central Informal Workers Network consists of 734 members from 17 groups of homebased producers, sub-contracted workers and contacted farmers located in 4 provinces, Suphanburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhonpathom and Samut Sakhon. These members are involved in doll making, ceramic, hand embroidery, sewing, water hyacinth weaving and etc. Besides handicraft producers, contacted farmers, motorcycle drivers and vendors are also members of the network.

Collaboration
            The foundation works with closely collaboration with other partners at national, regional and international level. At national level, it works with Ministry of Labour, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, National Health Security Office as well as international agencies and NGOs such as ILO, UNIFEM, FNV, FES, Action Aid and Solidarity Center.
At regional and international level, the foundation is a member of Homenet Southeast Asia (Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Lao P.D.R. and Cambodia) and also a member of Women Informal Employment : Globalizing and Organizing ( WIEGO) which is a academician group from several universities such as Harvard University in USA, University of Sussex in England, University of Natal in South Africa. WEIGO conducted several researches and campaigns concerning informal economy such as Global Market (value chain analysis), Informal sector statistic, Social protection, Organizing and representation.

Contact Address

Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion
677/6 Soi Ladphrao 5/1, Ladphrao Road, Chomphon, Chatujak ,
Bangkok 10900
Tel 662-5139242 Fax 662-5138959
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www. homenetthailand.org