Scavengers, they have been running in the city for decades, walking in the streets and back lanes and every corner of the city, but they seem to be out of tune with the whole city. They exchanged their own stains for the cleanliness of the whole city.

Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, Secretary-General of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), said: "We should respect waste pickers in the city. They are the most beautiful scenery in an eco-civilization city. They return with a full load every day and exchange their labor for some income, but the more important thing is resource recycling. They are part of the organism that sustains a healthy, clean city."

Recently, the Plastic Pick and Reduce Working Group of CBCGDF learned that some waste pickers in Fiji ran away from their homes out of consideration for their own safety after experiencing domestic violence. Now we share the article as follows:

Some informal waste pickers removed from their homes for their own safety after enduring domestic violence

Some women informal waste pickers endured and struggled with abuse and domestic violence at the hands of their partners because they could not give them money despite not earning due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

These women who pick up and sort through trash to earn a living could not do this during the height of the pandemic and though assistance was rendered through finance or food rations, they would still endure domestic violence for not giving their partners money.

(Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited Director Amitesh Deo.)

Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited Director Amitesh Deo has seen first hand and assisted women in the informal waste picking sector who were under this type of abuse during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Some of the cases these women went through include men selling the distributed food packs that were intended for the household, men taking away the financial assistance for the household leaving women and children without basic necessities and even the removal of women and children from their own homes for their own safety.Deo says they worked with government agencies, Police and the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre to get the vulnerable women out of their homes.

Deo has made a strong call for these women who are informal waste pickers to be encouraged to know their rights and be recognized for the work they do. 

Deo also confirms that several cases were referred to Police and they were of great assistance in these incidences.

He says the one week workshop they are running beginning today and supported by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre will help educate these women of their rights and also encourage them to be more vocal to better help their families.

Original Chinese Article:https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/z3lHgavHW6NJv28ijJpGWA

Translator: Daisy

Checked by Sara

Editor: Daisy

Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776

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