Handicraft Industry and Women Empowerment

Case from Kechene Pottery Handicraft Workers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of handicraft industry for women empowerment in the case of Addis Ababa Kechene pottery handicraft producers. The study primarily seeks to investigate the practices of n pottery handicraft production and its roles for the empowerment of women. Moreover, the study aims to examine perceptions of the community towards pottery handicraft producers and status of women on the sector. For this study qualitative research approach and thematic analysis technique were employed. Different data collection techniques such as in-depth semi-structure interview, focus group discussions (FGD), observation, telephone interview, and informal conversation were used to collect ethnographic data. Accordingly, the findings of the study reveal that handicraft industry has positive impacts for the social, economic, and political empowerment of women.  By its very nature the handicraft industry mainly the pottery handicraft were dominated by women and this in turn enable women empower socio-economically. Besides, the study found that women on the handicraft sector were highly discriminated and gives different names that show the inferiority of the sector and individuals on the sector.  They considered as the so called Buda by the local community. In general, the study reveals women’s participation on handicraft industry has empowering impacts on women on the sector.