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India
ACORN India is a grassroots organization empowering informal workers across multiple sectors, with chapters in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. Through its initiatives—including the Dharavi Project for waste pickers, the Hawkers Joint Action Committee (HJAC) for street vendors facing harassment and displacement, and the Janpahal Initiative for gig workers seeking social security—ACORN India fights for dignified working conditions, fair policies, and environmental justice in one of the world’s largest informal economies.
The organization’s philosophy centers on collective power: bringing together hawkers, waste pickers, gig workers, and their communities to advocate for themselves through unity and coordinated action rather than individual struggles. Working directly with affected communities while simultaneously engaging government stakeholders like the Ministry of Labour Resources, ACORN India is building a nationwide movement that recognizes that real change comes when ordinary people act together to secure their rights, entitlements, and dignity.
Affiliates
Cities
- Bengaluru
- Delhi
- Mumbai
Latest Updates from ACORN India
- ACORN India Secures Landmark Meeting with Dharavi Redevelopment CEO to Voice Community Demands
As a direct result of mounting international pressure and local organizing, ACORN India secured a major breakthrough: a formal meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, the first time a top redevelopment official has met to address community concerns. The delegation hand-delivered a list of demands outlining concerns and demands from the public, ensuring that the… Read more: ACORN India Secures Landmark Meeting with Dharavi Redevelopment CEO to Voice Community Demands - ACORN India continued fighting for housing rights in Dharavi
In response to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, a government initiative aimed at transforming Asia’s largest slum. Building on momentum from last month, the Hawker’s Joint Action Committee organized a regional meeting of street vendors to demand trade licenses and social protections. - ACORN India Advocates for Dharavi Residents Amid Major Redevelopment Plans
ACORN India spent April amplifying the voices of the residents of the Dharavi housing camp, home of over one million people. As the government and businesses negotiates major re-development plans for the camp, ACORN Dharavi has been advocating for clarity and accountability in the project to ensure the people are heard. The Green Warrior Women continue their waste-picking… Read more: ACORN India Advocates for Dharavi Residents Amid Major Redevelopment Plans - ACORN India’s Green Warriors, salvaged over three tons of plastic waste from streets
ACORN India’s Green Warriors, (the women’s waste pickers of Dharavi) salvaged over three tons of plastic waste from streets, and participated in an ACORN workshop focused on their mental and physical health, hosted by Dr Shreya Agrawal. - ACORN India and SOSVA are making a difference in Dharavi by educating and providing resources.
ACORN India and SOSVA continued their important program to provide education and resources about menstruation to teen girls in Dharavi. Since the program began, they have worked with over 600 adolescents, providing three months worth of free sanitary products. - ACORN India has been hard at work with many events and campaigns to empower women and children
The Empowering Women in WPC Conference held at the YMCA in Mumbai, which addressed the various concerns of women in leadership, and ACORN India and SOSVA held a women waste picker collectives training meeting. Important campaigns in Dharavi continued for youth, including hygiene programs for menstruating young people, art education, and healthy nutrition programs. - ACORN India: People’s Commission and Public Enquiry Committee Collaborate with Hawkers Joint Action Committee
Peoples Commission and Public Enquiry committee and Hawkers Joint Action Committee jointly organized the third public hearing in Delhi. Today’s People’s Commission: Jyoti Laxmi (of Satat Sampad, many years of work with hawkers), Arun Mohan (film maker associated with Media Collective), Dr Seema Mathur (Ambedkarvadi Lekhak Sangh and professor at DU), Dr. Avinash Kumar (former… Read more: ACORN India: People’s Commission and Public Enquiry Committee Collaborate with Hawkers Joint Action Committee - ACORN India : Updates from July 2023
ACORN India representatives spoke at a convention in New Delhi on Contemporary Popular Movements in India. In Dharavi, ACORN India hosted a Women’s Group Discussion Meeting among waste collectors, homemakers, and small unit workers. They also conducted a free Food Safety Training & Certification (FOSTAC) training session in Noida for street food vendors.
ACORN Affiliates
Updates from the Field
- Living Rent Hits the Streets for Tenant VoicesIn July, Living Rent took to the Barras to engage with supporters of strong rent control and collect signatures for their petition. While the government consulted landlords on rent controls, tenants were left out of the conversation—Living Rent is stepping in to ensure the voices of working people are heard.
- Honoring Bold Leadership at the Hurricane Katrina MemorialIn Louisiana, A Community Voice hosted the Hurricane Katrina Memorial and Awards to recognize the remarkable organizing efforts of local community members. Leaders including Tanya Harris-Glasow from Anthropocene Alliance and members of Louisiana Grassroots United were honored for their courage and dedication, exemplifying what it means to fight for justice and resilience in the face… Read more: Honoring Bold Leadership at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial
- Big Wins for ACORN UK: Rent Reductions and Successful Eviction ResistanceACORN Liverpool scored a major victory this month, stopping a planned rent hike and securing an 80% reduction for nearly 300 households. Meanwhile, ACORN Coventry successfully resisted an eviction after a member requested reasonable accommodations for his disability. Members rallied outside the apartment for over 10 hours, and the landlord ultimately canceled the eviction, showing… Read more: Big Wins for ACORN UK: Rent Reductions and Successful Eviction Resistance
- ACORN Ontario Hosts “Boiling Point” Meeting to Tackle Extreme Heat in HousingACORN Ontario brought together over 120 members and allies in a high-energy online meeting called Boiling Point to demand urgent action on extreme heat in housing. Leaders from five cities shared updates on local campaigns, including maximum temperature bylaws and tracking heat-related deaths. ACORN Hamilton celebrated a major victory after months of organizing, successfully negotiating… Read more: ACORN Ontario Hosts “Boiling Point” Meeting to Tackle Extreme Heat in Housing
- CATU Ireland Leads Massive Global Rally for Housing JusticeAt the start of July, CATU Ireland mobilized 29 branches across 32 countries, bringing thousands of people together for an all-island rally demanding public homes on public land and an end to homelessness and exploitation. Following this powerful day of action, CATU has continued winning local battles, fighting evictions, raising community awareness of housing injustice,… Read more: CATU Ireland Leads Massive Global Rally for Housing Justice
- Locataires Ensemble Scores Major Win in Lyon’s Beat the Heat CampaignIn July, Locataires Ensemble led a powerful Beat the Heat day of action in Lyon. Their rally, backed by nearly 5,000 petition signatures, successfully pushed the city to commit to bringing tenant unions and landlords together to find solutions. The city is now considering a municipal decree to hold landlords accountable, marking a breakthrough for… Read more: Locataires Ensemble Scores Major Win in Lyon’s Beat the Heat Campaign
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