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TAKING WOMEN'S SOLIDARITY SERIOUSLY: ANALYZING KUDUMBASHREE AS A WOMEN'S SOCIAL & SOLIDARITY ECONOMY EXPERIMENT IN INDIA

Direct Link to Full 14-Page Document:

http://www.unrisd.org/80256B42004CCC77/(httpInfoFiles)/9253FBE31BD5278BC1257B720034C421/$file/Mukherjee%20and%20Reed%20draft%20paper.pdf

This paper analyzes Kudumbashree, a unique social initiative in the Indian state of Kerala, composed of nearly 4 million women below the poverty line. Kerala still exhibits significant gender inequality and multiple marginalizations, as in caste, ethnicity, and more. Over 15 years, Kudumbashree has developed into a unique network in which marginalized women work collectively to promote prosperity through planning and implementing programs and projects that address the root causes of their poverty. This paper highlights how the creation of strong bonds of solidarity, grounded in democratic decision-making and collective action, have enabled poor women to challenge existing power imbalances and establish innovative organizations.