Sahakarita Volume 11: Women, Work and Peace reflects on the enduring relationship between women’s work, economic self-reliance, and collective well-being. Published during the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 and inspired by Elaben Bhatt’s vision that “peace can be built by work, having income and livelihood,” this edition celebrates the transformative role of women-led cooperatives in creating resilient communities and expanding opportunities for informal women workers.
The newsletter brings together stories of grassroots leadership, enterprise development, climate resilience, and digital inclusion. It highlights the revival of the Kheda Women Farmers Cooperative, emerging leadership through the Srujan collective, and new partnerships that support women farmers through agroecology and soil testing services. The edition also shares insights from SEWA’s research on extreme heat and informal workspaces, alongside conversations on the changing nature of work through its podcast series.
By connecting field experiences with research, policy discussions, and voices from the global cooperative movement, this volume demonstrates how women’s cooperatives continue to create pathways for economic empowerment, leadership, and social change. At its core, the publication reaffirms a simple but powerful idea: when women gain access to dignified work and collective institutions, they strengthen not only their own livelihoods but also the communities around them.
