ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a comparative study on the development and current state of women’s cooperatives in India, Poland, and Türkiye, with a specific focus on their capacity for social solidarity. By analyzing different historical trajectories, institutional frameworks, and organizational assumptions, the study explores how women’s cooperatives contribute to building resilient local communities in times of crisis.
To understand their current state, qualitative data was used, from both secondary research and semi-structured expert interviews in the three countries. The interviews revealed how women’s cooperatives have navigated global shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as country-specific crises like natural disasters and mass migration, particularly in India, Poland, and Türkiye. The study further examines how historical, legal-political, as well institutional and organizational factors influence these responses and discusses how the global women’s cooperative movement can advocate for policies that maximize their potential to foster resilience.
