Co-Operative societies and women empowerment in rural provinces

Abstract

Empowerment of women is a new ideology for carrying democratic values into the family and society. Empowerment of women means equal status to women. Women and children, equal ownership of productive resources, increase participation in economic and commercial sections, awareness of their rights and responsibilities. Rural women suffer the curse of being both socially and economically ‘invisible’. The civil society organizations work towards making them visible in these areas. Among these organizations, one with an open membership and democratic control, i.e., a cooperative organization will be more effective than other organizations working for the promotion of social and economic development. A dairy cooperative is one such civil society organization which aims at improving the rural people. Dairying has been an agriculture allied sector and indoor economic activity for women living in rural areas. It gives mass employment and thereby helps to promote economic development of the rural masses. Rural landless, small and marginal agricultural farmers and women are involved in the process of milk production. Dairy cooperatives, as workers level socio-economic organizations, have been working for the strengthening of the rural masses. In this context, the present study aims at examining the Social Change and Economic Development of Rural Women through Dairy Cooperatives. The purpose of the study specifies that the socio- and economic background, awareness of dairy cooperatives and participation of rural women members in dairy cooperatives have helped them achieve social change and economic development. Keywords: Women empowerment; Dairy cooperatives; employment and development