Our culture, our identity!
Our identity, our right!
Reimagining Women's Empowerment
Economic empowerment of women is being identified as a key component in achieving women's rights globally (see SDG 5). Government and non-governmental initiatives in India are working consistently to achieve this goal. While remarkable progress is being made with respect to mainstreaming debates on gender, educating women and girls, and combating harmful social practices such as child marriage and violence against women, participation of women in the labor market is currently experiencing a decline since the 1990s. The reasons for this are complex and often context-specific, but common threads can currently be identified:
Women are required to join workspaces built by and for men that do not currently account for the realities of a woman's life.
Indian society is continuing to view care work as women's primary role, and hence, women are not encouraged to acquire skills that are important for competing in the labour market.
Initiatives currently supporting women's participation are connecting them to the labour market but are often not sustainable because they do not support them with the knowledge and skills needed to survive in the labor market.
Hence, sustainable solutions can only be found by working with women to co-create labour opportunities that account for their realities, support their collectivisation, and facilitate change led by the women themselves.
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Our pilot initiative towards this in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, is bringing together the creative forces of Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Member of Parliament, the development initiatives of District Administration of Thoothukudi, the field experience of Kaani Nilam (Ek Potlee Ret Ki), along with women producers of the District to co-create an entrepreneurial venture called 'Korkai' for women in Thoothukudi and to support a long-term sustainable source of income for women.
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The objectives of this initiative are the following:
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Launching the brand, a brick & mortar store, and an E-commerce platform to open direct access to markets.
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Building capacity in over 600 women producers to develop new/better products, acquire deeper skills in manufacturing, understand and respond to market demands, become financially equipped, and manage the entire 'artisan producer to consumer' chain by themselves.
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Building capacity of the women to be aware of their political, social, cultural, and economic rights and responsibilities so that they may use them for the development of their business and their community.
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Incorporating a wholly women-owned business enterprise, setting up physical store(s), cafe/eatery, and a digital marketplace, building an exclusive brand, and integrating SHGs into production and management of the business.
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