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Paper short abstract:

We discuss an array of climate-related and other threats facing informal workers in Harare and Masvingo (Zimbabwe), drawing on action-research implemented from 2019-2022 with waste-pickers and urban agriculture workers. We also explore emerging solutions and partnerships with the local authority.

Paper long abstract:

The informal economy is the lifeblood of many African cities, but there is only limited attention to the climate-related and other risks facing urban informal workers. In prior research on occupational health and climate change, the focus is generally limited to the impacts of excessive heat. Climate-related threats will interact with longstanding challenges such as hazardous living conditions, limited social protection, and gendered inequalities that urban informal workers already face.

This presentation will explore the occupational, environmental, and climate-related health threats facing informal workers in Harare and Masvingo (Zimbabwe), drawing on action-research implemented from 2019-2022. We conducted surveys (N=420) and focus group discussions (N=207) with urban agriculture workers and informal waste-pickers involved in plastic recycling. We also explored access to water as a key cross-cutting concern for workers’ health and livelihoods. According to our surveys, heat extremes led to reduced working time, exhaustion, and lower incomes amongst 56% women and 55% of men. Our qualitative findings explore the interplay between low-quality working and living environments linked to inadequate WASH, rubbish collection, and unclean energy. Additionally, we explain how informal workers are generating inclusive solutions in the face of climate change. In Masvingo, a ‘champions team’ comprised of informal workers and a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the local authority have led to co-created solutions with benefits for health, climate resilience, and livelihoods.

Climate change should be recognised as a key health and livelihoods concern facing informal workers, and inclusive partnerships with these labourers can foster appropriate, equitable, and multifaceted solutions.