Cooperatives as Instruments of Tribal Women's Empowerment: A Case Study of Livelihoods linked to GI in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

This study examines the transformative role of cooperatives and self-help groups in addressing the "double disadvantage" of gender and tribal identity among women in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. The findings of mixed ethnographic fieldwork from 35 villages reveal how collective action via Geographical Indication recognition, specifically of Kinnauri Shawl, Chulli Oil, and Kala Zeera, plays out in terms of women's empowerment. 80% of the respondents stated that their incomes had grown exponentially; at the same time, new gendered roles and expectations have emerged within the household and the local economy. Using feminist standpoint theory to analyse data from 165 respondents, the article demonstrates that such institutions have been used as instruments of grassroots entrepreneurship and participatory governance. However, the study also identifies persistent issues in market citizenship and infrastructure deficits. Finally, the paper recommends a policy focus on climate-resilient cooperative logistics and the institutionalisation of Panchayat cooperative convergence for sustainable inclusive development in Scheduled Areas.