Dealing with poverty : self-employment for poor rural women

A majority of the working people in developing countries such as India are poor and self-employed. The author of this book has provided a conceptual framework to explain the social and economic dynamics of self-employment specifically in relation to poor rural women. This book is based on a participatory research study of fifteen major economic activities undertaken by self-employed women in the rural areas of Ahmedabad district in Gujarat. The interaction between the working and social roles of these women, the availability of and access to natural resources and infrastructural facilities, and the impact of these on their perception of themselves and their situations create a framework for dealing with the problem of poverty through self-employment. Water and sanitation are highlighted as common infrastructural issues. Problems of the distance to collect water, lack of wells to meet demand, seasonal water shortages, and limitations on water for untouchables are discussed. Sanitation problems, particularly as they affect women, are also highlighted. The difficulties of relations between the castes and the exploitation of the lowest castes are presented as an important social issue. To support the analysis , the book includes thirty case studies representing women in each of the self-employed occupations. The author maintains that the economy has to be restructured on the basis of self-employment for a majority of the population. To conclude, the author presents policy suggestions for interventionist action which can strengthen the position of these women in the economy.