Mãos de mulheres negras: análise interseccional da política pública de economia solidária da Bahia

Abstract

Although presented as an alternative to the traditional model of work organization and income generation, solidarity economy still reflects structural inequalities of race, gender, class, and territoriality. Black women constitute the majority in solidarity economy enterprises, yet they face persistent barriers to accessing resources, decision-making spaces, and financial autonomy. These challenges are especially acute in rural areas, where infrastructure is limited and access to public policies is more restricted. In this context, this research analyzes whether the public policy of solidarity economy in the state of Bahia contributes to the sociopolitical and financial autonomy of these women, taking into account the differences between rural and urban contexts within the Public Centers for Solidarity Economy (Cesol). The methodological approach is qualitative and document-based, using intersectionality as a theoretical-analytical framework. The study examined Cesol public calls for proposals published between 2012 and 2022, covering ten years of policy implementation under management contracts. The empirical stage included one focus group and one interview with policy managers, five semi-structured interviews with Black women, and the administration of 68 questionnaires to Black female beneficiaries, of which 50 were validated. Data analysis was conducted through Content Analysis (Bardin, 2020). The findings indicate that, although Black women are the majority within the enterprises, their participation does not translate into access to decision-making spaces, equitable access to funding, training opportunities, infrastructure, or fair distribution of resources allocated to the solidarity economy policy in Bahia. This lack of access is even more pronounced in rural areas, where Black women face greater challenges in marketing and distributing their products. Despite this scenario, the research reveals that Black women develop collective strategies of resistance and autonomous organization, fostering support networks and economic strengthening—although these emerging practices are not direct outcomes of the public policy actions.