Publications on Social and Solidarity Economy

June 2020

  1. UNTFSSE statement on “What role for the Social and Solidarity Economy in the post COVID-19 crisis recovery?”

    23 June 2020

    Produced by the members and observers of the UNTFSSE, the statement reflects on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of the social and solidarity economy in post COVID-19 recovery.

March 2020

  1. Public Policies for the Social and Solidarity Economy and their role in the Future of Work: The case of Tunisia

    31 March 2020

    This paper studies the case of Tunisia, where a draft framework law on SSE has been formulated and supported by a tripartite process with ILO assistance. This paper aims to describe and explain the overall context and the evolution, from an historical and institutional standpoint, of the process that has fostered a more favorable policy framework. Moreover, it tackles the topic of the role that SSE can play in addressing the challenges of Future of Work in Tunisia.

  2. The contribution of SSE and social finance to the future of work

    23 March 2020

    This publication is the result of a research project undertaken in collaboration between the ILO Cooperatives Unit and Social Finance Programme, with support from the Government of France. The research analyses various Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) initiatives around the world in light of the changes observed in the world of work. The research results highlight that regardless of the countries or the type of SSE organizations, SSE and its innovative financing mechanisms present a potential for creating and preserving decent jobs, creating wealth, reducing social inequalities, and advancing local development.

  3. Executive summary: Mapping responses by cooperatives and social and solidarity economy organizations to forced displacement

    23 March 2020

    Produced as part of a wider programme on responding to forced displacement crises, the report identifies good practices, lessons learned and potential areas of innovation by cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy organizations working in displacement contexts.

November 2019

  1. Financial Mechanisms for Innovative Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystems - Executive Summary

    14 November 2019

    This report presents the results of the “Financial Mechanisms for Innovative Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystems” project, designed to foster a better understanding of the different ways in which financial resources can be made available and accessed to support the growth of social and solidarity economy (SSE) organizations and their ecosystems. The project is supported by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social and Solidarity Economy of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

  2. Financial Mechanisms for Innovative Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystems - Full Report

    14 November 2019

    This report presents the results of the “Financial Mechanisms for Innovative Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystems” project, designed to foster a better understanding of the different ways in which financial resources can be made available and accessed to support the growth of social and solidarity economy (SSE) organizations and their ecosystems. The project is supported by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social and Solidarity Economy of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

August 2019

  1. Waste pickers’ cooperatives and social and solidarity economy organizations

    20 August 2019

    Waste pickers make significant contributions to public health, sanitation, and the environment by promoting resource circulation and reducing the amount of landfill. However, they are often not legally recognized as workers and suffer from poor working conditions and lack of social protection. This brief highlights the role of waste pickers' cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy organizations (SSEOs) in integrating and formalizing the work of waste pickers in the recycling value chain and improving their working conditions.

May 2019

  1. General Labour History of Africa: Workers, employers and governments, 20th-21st Centuries

    01 May 2019

    This volume brings, for the first time, an African perspective within a global context to the study of labour and labour relations.

July 2018

  1. Advancing cooperation among women workers in the informal economy: The SEWA way

    05 July 2018

    This report aims to provide an understanding of the challenges and opportunities for cooperatives and other SSE units in empowering women workers in the informal economy, with a specific focus on SEWA’s experience. It is based on individual interviews and focus group discussions with select cooperative leaders and members and also uses select studies presenting the forty-year experience of SEWA with cooperatives.

October 2017

  1. Public policies for social and solidarity economy: Assessing progress in seven countries

    13 October 2017

    This particular study is a comparative analysis of seven ILO case studies. In the first part, an overview of the public policies for social and solidarity economy in Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, the Philippines, South Africa, the Republic of Korea and Italy is presented. The second part offers a comparative perspective of public policy for social and solidarity economy in terms of key instruments, achievements and limitations. Different pathways are identified and four specific challenges related to state capacity, policy coherence, participation and sustainability are examined.