The Union of Informal Workers Associations (UNIWA) is Ghana's first national trade union dedicated to organising informal economy workers, operating under the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC).

UNIWA's mandate is to organise, represent, and protect the interests of informal workers, promoting their inclusion in national labour and social protection systems.

Through Association-based membership and strong internal leadership, UNIWA has built a collective voice for informal workers, despite challenges like fragmentation, low incomes, and public stigma.

Sustained organising, advocacy, and capacity building have yielded successes, offering lessons for the waste-picking sector.

A prospective waste picker union can collaborate with UNIWA through affiliation, shared advocacy platforms, and joint capacity building.

UNIWA's experience can support waste pickers in achieving formal recognition, policy inclusion, and improved working conditions, paving the way for a stronger, more inclusive labour movement.