Empowering Women Artisans

A Cluster Based Development Approach

Abstract

Artisans are identified as a vulnerable class of workers as they exist at the periphery of global and local production. Their position as a ‘privileged stratum’ of workers was threatened by the advent of industrial capital. They were either displaced or became proletariatized losing autonomy over their tools and skills. Globalisation of production has also adversely affected vernacular crafts through the availability of cheap substitutes.