Gender Value Chain, India

Currently seeking funding

 

The majority of textile/garment workers are women. They are often discriminated against, receiving unequal pay and fewer opportunities.

We are working with over 600 women in Kerala, India to create better working conditions and fair employment opportunities for women in the industry.  Together we are setting up a democratically run, self financing alliance model of women run cooperatives. The alliance model will span the entire value chain creating a community governed by fair trade principles and equality; the community will include all the different players from the female cotton farmers to retailers and distributors to ensure fair distribution of value.

We want to develop a replicable model whereby women can take on the responsibility for their own working conditions and livelihoods.  This will take the form of this umbrella alliance supporting independent female-empowered cooperatives so they can pool volumes, resources and learnings and benefit from better market access (domestic and export). The women run alliance will also be able to identify and address specific issues restricting their participation in the workplace such as need for child care facilities, access to personal credit and local employment. For the pilot model in Kerala we have developed partnerships with four cooperatives within the cotton supply chain and a development agency called the Local Economic Development Society (LEDS).

 

Contact emily@pifoundation.org for more details

 

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites