Workshop: Launch of Towards a Feminist Solidarity Economy
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About the Event
The launch event organised by Action Aid Association India focused on presenting findings from the study "Towards a Feminist Solidarity Economy" of women's cooperatives across four Indian states conducted by Dr. Varsha Ganguly.
Major findings of the study are:
Cooperatives provide a way of economic empowerment for women by increasing incomes, expanding livelihood opportunities, reducing debt, and boosting savings and asset accumulation.
Cooperatives enable capacity development for women by improving financial literacy and money management skills as well as expanding livelihood opportunities in new non-farm activities. They also increase awareness around health, nutrition, government schemes, and civil/political rights.
Cooperatives empower women by enhancing self-esteem, self-identity, and participation in household decision-making. This expanded agency also impacts roles in community development and political participation at the panchayat level.
Cooperatives create social solidarity beyond economic impacts by providing a collective space for women to discuss issues of social and gender injustice. The collective power of women cooperatives addresses domestic violence, caste discrimination, and education/early marriage issues.
Representatives from the National Cooperative Union of India and ActionAid Association provided reflections on how cooperatives strengthen social solidarity and addressed issues like domestic violence. The program highlighted evidence that cooperatives serve as an effective means of advancing women's empowerment and fostering more just and sustainable communities.