Cooperative Model Brings About Gender Equality and Empowers Women – Experts

A cooperative model expands women’s opportunities contributing significantly to their empowerment, financial independence and the pursuit of gender equality, aligning with the targets of sustainable development goals, Kati Partanen, board member, International Secretariat, World Farmers Organization (WFO), Italy, said.

The 68th session of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women (UNCSW 68) was held at New York and a virtual parallel event to it was organised by Working Women’s Forum (India) (WWF) and Indian Cooperative Network for Women (ICNW) here on Wednesday. While speaking at the parallel event on the title, ‘Building leadership of young women in cooperatives in combating inequalities, enhancing productivity towards 2030 global agenda: Working Women’s Forum –Indian Cooperative Network for Women’, she said the integration of gender perspectives in cooperatives was essential, requiring active and equitable participation from both men and women. Nandini Azad, president of Working Women’s Forum (India) and Indian Cooperative Network for Women said cooperatives such as WWF and ICNW which played an important role in poverty reduction. Even the youngest, poorest and semi-literate women can manage and run an institution, following the principles of cooperative management, she added.

Andreas Kappes, secretary general, International Raiffeisen Union (IRU), Germany, said, by engaging young women in co-operative structures, they were not only empowered economically but it also fostered their sense of ownership.

Hirofumi Kobayashi, executive director, Institute for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia (IDACA), Japan, Asia; Lana Basneen Zaman, sustainable development officer, UNDESA, Division for Sustainable Development Goals, UN headquarters, New York and Milagro Matus, deputy programme manager, Agricultural & Agro-Industrial Development, the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM Secretariat), Guyana also spoke during the occasion.