Co-operatives and Women's Empowerment - Twenty Years after the Beijing Conference - case study in Imereti Region, Georgia

Bc. Alžběta Moravcová

Master's thesis

Abstract:

In the year 2015 the international community commemorated the 20th anniversary of the 4th Conference on Women in Beijing and the publication of a human rights document Platform for action. Co-operatives based on principles of self-help, equality and solidarity with it's potential to reduce poverty and boost the social development are often perceived as suitable tool for enhancing the empowerment of women, who face disadvantages of being small scale farmer. This research investigated the situation of rural women in Georgia who had decided to join the agricultural co-operative. In this study the problems women had had to face before they joined the co-operative and the expectations of women from joining a co-operative were investigated. Women-farmers members of newly established co-operatives (N=29) in Imereti region took part in the research. Besides them also members of boards of directors (N=14) and other stakeholders taking part in co-operative formation process (N=3) were asked about their opinion on gender equality in co-operatives and co-operatives' potential to strengthen women's role. The study was based on mixed type of research and employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The data were gathered by questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews and processed by using descriptive statistics and the method of weighted average scores. Qualitative analysis of data was carried out in order to deliver results for examination of incorporation of Women's empowerment principles in business into co-operatives rules and regulations. Mostly educated women of all age groups joined co-operatives and expected mainly improvement of their agricultural business activities. Women were active in co-operatives' affairs, however some obstacles for their full and equal engagement were identified. Representatives from boards of directors mostly stood for the idea of equality between women and men, however majority of co-operatives had not set developed internal policies and rules for ensuring women's full participation. However the lack such measures was mostly caused by immaturity of surveyed co-operatives which were mostly established in previous two years. The results can help to modify the objectives and services of already established co-operatives to better suit women farmers and also be used for further research investigating the potential of co-operatives to contribute to empowerment of it's women members.

Keywords

co-operative, women, empowerment, Georgia

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 27. 4. 2017

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Jana Mazancová, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / International Development and Agricultural Economics