Synopsis "This is an account of the social-security programmes of SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association) and how they evolved in response to the needs and demands of SEWA members. Detailing the schemes for child care, health and nutrition, housing and insurance, this book draws on surveys and the voices of SEWA’s members toi bring alive how work and social security are intrinsically linked in the lives of the women in the informal sector. A short postscript, written a week after the earthquake which struck Gujarat on 26 January 2001, touches on how SEWA’s organizational skills and grassroots experience are providing succour to those affected by the disaster. The book will be of use to union organizers, development workers and activists, policy makers, academics and researchers and anyone interested in bettering the lives of women in the informal economy."