ABSTRACT
In pastoral societies, women have traditionally contributed to livelihood activities. In Djelfa handicrafts help safeguard an agro-pastoralism in crisis which often does not generate sufficient income. According to 2011 statistics from the Department of small and medium enterprises and artisans, more than 60 per cent of households in Djelfa Governorate currently process wool and camel hair and weave qashabiya. This handicraft allows people from marginalised and economically disadvantaged backgrounds to protect themselves against vulnerability. But today, this weaving know-how has become fragile, in part as a result of technical changes due to developments in emerging social, economic and political trends, as well as being affected by overall deep gender inequality which tends to exclude women from any economic participation.
