A Study on Challenges Faced by Women Handloom Weavers (A Case of Dharmavaram Mandal, Andhra Pradesh)

Women weavers hold an important place in traditional craftsmanship. Despite their vital role in the industry, women weavers are often marginalized due to gender bias and patriarchal traditions. The study involved 42 women weavers from Dharmavaram, Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh, chosen through purposive sampling, with data gathered via a structured questionnaire. Findings revealed that 85.71% of participants indicated that family obligations impacted their work, and various health issues such as eye strain (57.14%), back pain (47.62%), and knee pain (28.57%) were quite natural. There was a strong correlation between longer weaving hours and health issues. The study observed that more educated weavers earned more per month and securely employed weavers earned more stable incomes. The method of selling products also mattered significantly-selling directly cut down on the drain on resources from middlemen. The study underscores the necessity for targeted measures to tackle the challenges faced by women weavers, such as enhancing healthcare access, ensuring stable employment, reducing the exploitative role of middlemen, and increasing opportunities for direct market engagement to foster gender equality and economic empowerment in the Dharmavaram silk weaving sector.