Mobility, Visibility, and Financial Autonomy among Tailoring Women: Evidence from Wayanad, Kerala

Abstract

This study examines the economic empowerment of tailoring women in Wayanad district, Kerala, by analysing variations across work-station and employment arrangements. Using primary data collected from 100 tailoring women, respondents are classified into three categories: home-based workers (n=30), self-owned shop operators (n=25), and wage labourers in others’ shops (n=45). Empowerment is conceptualised as a multidimensional construct and operationalised through mobility, visibility, and financial decision-making. A standardised composite empowerment index (0–1) is constructed by normalising domain scores and aggregating them using equal weights. The findings reveal a clear empowerment gradient across work settings. Self-owned shop tailors record the highest empowerment (0.77), characterised by stronger financial autonomy, higher public visibility, and greater market-oriented mobility. Home-based tailors demonstrate moderate empowerment (0.53), supported by financial agency but constrained by limited mobility and restricted market exposure. Wage labour tailors exhibit the lowest empowerment (0.38), reflecting weak financial autonomy and low individual visibility despite regular employment. The study demonstrates that ownership and control over the work environment are central to translating employment into sustained economic agency. By offering an occupation-specific multidimensional framework, the paper contributes to the literature on women’s economic empowerment in the informal sector and provides policy-relevant insights for strengthening enterprise ownership, financial autonomy, and market integration among women workers in rural economies.