Around the International Day of Cooperatives 2024, the ICA-AP Committee on Youth Cooperation (ICYC) successfully launched the E-Coop Series (Education on Cooperatives) on 10 July. The E-Coop Series is a platform to disseminate valuable information on cooperatives to educate and empower youth across the Asia-Pacific region.

The first episode of the series focused on “Understanding Cooperative Law Across Different Countries and Sectors” to provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal frameworks that govern cooperatives. The webinar was hosted by Ms. Cherry Ann, an ICYC member and Youth Program Officer at MASS-SPECC Cooperative Development Center in the Philippines.

Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, ICA-AP Regional Director in his inspirational opening remarks set a positive tone for the webinar, emphasizing the importance of understanding the fundamentals of cooperative law and youth engagement in the cooperative movement. Mr. Iyer encouraged young people to actively participate in the E-Coop Series.

The webinar featured an exceptional lineup of speakers who shared their insights and expertise. Mr. Santosh Kumar, Legislation Director at the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), delivered an engaging presentation on “Insights on Law and Its Interface with Cooperatives to Foster Youth Entrepreneurship.” He highlighted how legal frameworks and cooperative models can serve as powerful tools to support and inspire young entrepreneurs. Dr. Sagar Wadkar, Adviser for Research and Study at the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), spoke on “Framing Effective By-Laws: Key Elements and Best Practices.” His presentation emphasized the importance of by-laws in defining the structure and governance of cooperatives, offering practical guidance on drafting effective by-laws. Ms. Prakruthi Upadhyay Pandya, Director of Finance at National Yuva Cooperative Society Ltd. (NYCS), India, addressed the topic of “Legal Resources and Capacity Building for Cooperative Development.” She discussed the significance of legal resources and the need for capacity-building initiatives to support the growth and sustainability of cooperatives.

The webinar provided participants with a general understanding of cooperative law and its implementation across different countries and sectors. The speakers highlighted the critical role of legal frameworks in fostering cooperative development and empowering youth in the cooperative movement. Around 45 participants attended the webinar.

ICYC is excited to continue this journey with the E-Coop Series and looks forward to bringing more informative and engaging sessions. The next webinar will delve deeper into framing effective by-laws for cooperatives and explore additional topics relevant to cooperative development.

The recording of the webinar is available on the official YouTube channel. To stay updated, please like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon on the YouTube channel to get notified about future videos and updates.