Women cooperatives provide a unique opportunity for low income women to enter into work force and start earning an income. Low income women face many barriers in entering into work force such as lack of experience, low education, care work burden etc. Women cooperatives support women in building their capacities and overcome these barriers. This Project will support women cooperatives in building the capacity of economic initiatives so that more women can enter into work force and earn income.
In Turkey, only 35% of women participate in the work force and Turkey ranks 134th among 146 countries in economic participation according to World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report. Women face many barriers in entering into work force, more if they are low income: Low income women cannot participate in the work force due to unpaid care and domestic work burden and gender roles, lack of experience and skills, low education etc. However, economic empowerment is a must for gender equality
Women cooperatives in Turkey are one of the main structures where low income women organize around their needs and run economic and social initiatives. They build grassroots women's collective leadership, provide solidarity networks, build women's capacities etc. With this project, the capacities of women cooperatives' economic initiatives will be increased so that 200 more low income women can participate and start earning a sustainable income and empower socially and economically.
Gender equality can only be ensured when women are both economically and socially empowered. With this project, 200 women that are economically empowered will be able to realize their agency and empower in other areas of life, build thier leadership to transform their communities. Women organized under cooperatives will also be recognized by other actors, decision and policy makers, local administrations etc.
