From Margin to Management
Empowering Women in a Design-Build Cooperative
In the Indian construction context, it is common for women to be present on site—either as companions to their husbands, who live and work on location, or as labourers hired for physically demanding and repetitive tasks such as sand sifting or transporting bricks. Despite the strenuous nature of their work, women are typically remunerated at approximately half the wage of the lowest-paid male labourers. Efforts to alter this status quo and to redefine gender roles on site are often met with resistance—not only from men, but, perhaps more unexpectedly, from women as well.
One of the ongoing objectives of the cooperative initiative has been to expand the scope of women’s participation on construction sites beyond unskilled labour. This includes creating pathways for women to engage in creative and decision-making tasks, and introducing equal pay policies. The initiative also aims to formalise roles that women frequently undertake informally—such as overseeing material storage, monitoring tools, and maintaining order on site—without official recognition or remuneration.
As part of this work, the cooperative actively invites women who accompany their partners to participate in all training sessions and capacity-building opportunities. The increased presence and formal acknowledgement of women’s roles on site has demonstrably improved workflow and site organisation, underscoring the importance of gender-inclusive labour practices in the construction industry.
One of the ongoing objectives of the cooperative initiative has been to expand the scope of women’s participation on construction sites beyond unskilled labour. This includes creating pathways for women to engage in creative and decision-making tasks, and introducing equal pay policies. The initiative also aims to formalise roles that women frequently undertake informally—such as overseeing material storage, monitoring tools, and maintaining order on site—without official recognition or remuneration.
As part of this work, the cooperative actively invites women who accompany their partners to participate in all training sessions and capacity-building opportunities. The increased presence and formal acknowledgement of women’s roles on site has demonstrably improved workflow and site organisation, underscoring the importance of gender-inclusive labour practices in the construction industry.
︎︎︎(image at the top) A simple stove prepared by the women working on the construction team. Made from the materials readily available on the construction site. The place surrounding this makeshift stove, became an assembly point, a decision-making space as well as one used during leisure time. It gradually expanded and gained new functions, becoming a make-shift architectural site office and naturally constituting a hang-out area for all the cooperative members for the duration of the construction.
︎︎︎related work: Design-Build Cooperative - Reserch on Working Methods
A series of carpentry workshops organised in collaboration with the Senior Experten Service (Germany) and WeCan (India).
all drawings by Kaja Deleżuch
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