Theme: Strengthening Women’s Roles in Cooperatives: From Agriculture to Enterprise

Women play a critical role in the cooperative movement across Asia and the Pacific. As farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, managers, and leaders, they advance cooperative values while strengthening livelihoods and resilience in their communities. Yet, despite their central role in sustaining agriculture, enterprise development, and local economies, women’s contributions remain too often undervalued and under-recognized.

The United Nations’ declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) underscores the vital, yet frequently overlooked, roles across agrifood systems. The Year calls for greater recognition, investment, and policy attention to women farmers, whether they work in formal or informal settings, and highlights their leadership in sustaining food security, nutrition, and rural economies.

Cooperatives have long provided women with platforms for collective action, income generation, market access, skills development, and leadership opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach. The year 2026 offers a timely and strategic moment to further spotlight and build on these contributions.

ICA-AP will convene a series of regional events focused on advancing gender equality and enhancing the visibility of women in cooperatives. These include the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on the International Year of Women Farmers; the Gender and Climate Action Training of Trainers; and the Tagaytay Regional Conference on Women in Cooperatives, held once every decade to take stock of achievements, gaps, and future priorities.

Against this backdrop, ICA-AP invites contributions for the 10th edition of COOP Dialogue that highlight women’s roles and leadership within cooperatives, spanning both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. We welcome diverse formats—such as analytical articles, case studies, interviews, and reflective pieces—that explore women’s contributions, the challenges they face, the innovations they are driving, and the opportunities to strengthen their visibility, voice, and influence within the cooperative movement.

Tentative areas of focus include:

• Women farmers and workers in agriculture and allied activities
• Women-led and women-only cooperatives in rural and urban settings
• Leadership, governance, and decision-making roles held by women
• Innovations and enterprise development driven by women cooperators
• Strategies for enhancing women’s visibility, recognition, and economic security
• Case studies on cooperative support systems, good practices, and gender-responsive models
• Intersections of gender, climate action, digital transformation, and livelihood resilience

Submission Guidelines

• Submission of Interest and Abstract: Please submit the title and a 300-word abstract by 13 February 2026.
• Complete Written Material: Submit your complete articles (1,500–2,000 words, excluding references) along with pictures in .jpg/.jpeg/.png formats (500 Kb to 5 Mb) by 30 March 2026. Images should be embedded in the article with captions and also submitted separately. Articles may include graphics, tables, charts, and hyperlinks.
• Complete Videos: Submit videos of 3–5 minutes (.mp4 format, max 500 Mb) by 30 March 2026.
• Language: English
• Format: Word file for written content; edited videos or photo stories
• Originality: Submissions must be original to avoid copyright issues.
• Contact: For queries, please contact the COOP Dialogue team at coopdialogue@icaap.coop.
  
  

Join us in documenting and celebrating how women in cooperatives are shaping stronger enterprises and communities across Asia-Pacific.