Navigating Crisis: An Intersectional Analysis of Marginalized Women’s Role in Sustaining Community Cooperatives Through The Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

PEKKA women have faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly due to government-imposed social restrictions that disrupted their small businesses and cooperative activities. While some benefited from economic assistance, many experienced deeper vulnerabilities linked to their status as women heads of households. This study analyzes how PEKKA women in Bantul navigated these challenges and sustained their economic empowerment through community cooperatives. Using a socio-legal and intersectional feminist approach, the research examines how overlapping identities—gender, class, and marital status—shaped their resilience strategies during and after the pandemic. Findings show that PEKKA women relied on cooperative structures to access capital, training, and peer support. Capacity-building programs further strengthened their ability to adapt, diversify businesses, and maintain household stability. The study reveals a dynamic relationship between individual and collective empowerment: personal agency is nurtured through collective solidarity, and cooperative empowerment enhances individual growth. Compared to cooperatives with heterogeneous membership, PEKKA cooperatives—with members sharing similar backgrounds—demonstrated stronger cohesion and resilience. These findings offer practical insights for post-pandemic recovery and policy design. In particular, the study advocates for intersectionality-informed government programs that address not only economic metrics but also the layered vulnerabilities of marginalized women.