Abstract

CARCAMO TOALA, Naima Jazíbi; VAZQUEZ GARCIA, Verónica; ZAPATA MARTELO, Emma  and  NAZAR BEUTELSPACHER, Austreberta. Género, trabajo y organización: Mujeres cafetaleras de la Unión de Productores Orgánicos San Isidro Siltepec, Chiapas. Estud. soc [online]. 2010, vol.18, n.36, pp.155-176. ISSN 0188-4557.

This article analyzes women's participation in the Unión de Productores Orgánicos San Isidro Siltepec (UPOSIS), an organization of coffee producers made up by 105 partners (56 women and 49 men). The unit of analysis are all female partners and wives of male partners belonging to UPOSIS. The central argument is that female partners' full participation in the organization offers them real benefits. By contrast, the wives of male partners actively participate in coffee production but are excluded from the benefits derived from its commercialization and other opportunities of personal growth. The distinction between female partners and wives of male partners is important because it is generally assumed that men's participation in peasant organizations brings benefits for all the family. If women do not have access to the power structure and the economic benefits of an organization we can hardly speak of rural development.

Keywords : gender; organization; coffee; Chiapas.