The HANOI APCMC RESOLUTION
ON
Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships in Realizing the SDGs
Adopted by Participants of the 10th Asia Pacific Co-operative Ministers’ Conference
20 April 2017 at the Melia Hotel, Hanoi (Vietnam)
Launched on the occasion on 95th ICA International Day of Co-operatives, July 1, 2017 at Issyk Kul, Kyrgyz Republic during the Forum on Development of Co-operatives in Central Asia
A. PREAMBLE
The International Co-operative Identity Statement[1] reflects the significance of people in the co-operative enterprise model, and through the ‘concern for community’ principle[2], the element of ‘sustainable development’. Therefore, it confers on the International Co-operative Alliance as its custodian, the responsibility of building meaningful partnerships and alliances with all relevant stakeholders in achieving together the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030,
Whereas, co-operatives have been recognized by the United Nations in particular and the international community in general, as vehicles for transformation of the world and implementation of the 2030 Agenda along with their contribution in achieving a socially just, economically equitable and culturally inclusive society,
Whereas, co-operatives represent more than 2.5 million enterprises and 1.5 billion members and represent more than 272 million jobs and play a key role as creators of quality employment,
Whereas the International Co-operative Alliance continues to pledge its contribution in achieving the SDGs by way of concrete actions of its members in close partnership with its stakeholders within the context of its ‘Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade’, and realizes the importance of measuring & monitoring the efforts.
Participants at the 10th Asia Pacific Co-operative Ministers’ Conference (APCMC) in their statements and deliberations during April 18 – 20, 2017 at the Melia Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam,
Recall the Declaration of the International Summit of Co-operatives 2016 (Summit) and the Resolution of the 9th Asia Pacific Co-operative Forum 2016, that encourage effective partnerships among governments, the private sector and civil society to ensure sustainable development, that set the goal of enhancing the number of co-operative enterprises worldwide to 4 million and number of co-operators to 2 billion, as well as the ILO Recommendation 193 on Promotion of Co-operatives and the UN Resolution A/Res/64/136 (IYC 2012).
Recognize the capacity of co-operatives to act affirmatively on social, environmental and economic issues of the 21st century, and the relevance of SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals) as well as SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Stronger Institutions),
Reaffirm the International Co-operative Alliance as custodian of the International Co-operative Identity Statement with its definition, values and principles, as adopted by the ICA Congress in 1995, and the Guidance Notes of the Co-operative Principles of 2015,
Review the five areas of work for co-operatives namely: Food Security; Economic Growth, Employment and Decent Work; Access to Healthcare and Social Services; Poverty and Financial Inclusion; and Climate Change and Sustainable Development, as identified by co-operatives at the Summit in 2016, while taking note of the direct contribution of co-operatives in the achievement of Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 2 (No Hunger), Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure), Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and the potential of co-operatives in addressing challenges related to Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and Goal 13 (Climate Action), of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and,
Taking due account of the democratic character of co-operatives, the ILO Recommendation 193 (concerning the Promotion of Co-operatives) and 204 (concerning the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy) and the UN Resolution A/Res/64/136 (International Year of Co-operatives, 2012).
B. RESOLUTION
Urge governments of Member States of the United Nations, to integrate co-operatives in their respective development agendas and national policies by adopting the following HANOI APCMC RESOLUTION:
Article 1
Ensure an enabling environment and supportive institutional infrastructure for the establishment and functioning of voluntary, autonomous and independent co-operatives by adopting favourable and harmonized legal frameworks based on a uniform understanding of the Identity Statement.
Article 2
Strategically position the co-operative enterprise model to benefit persons from marginalized sections of society including migrants, refugees, indigenous people and differently-abled persons to inclusively generate decent, formal and full employment for members of the society at large, and enhancing open participation & voluntarism while promoting real and effective membership.
Article 3
Integrate co-operatives into development strategies by identifying needs and opportunities that can be addressed and co-operative solutions that can be implemented, and actively promote co-operative education and training to stakeholders in attainment of the SDGs.
Article 4
Foster Public-Private Partnerships between Governments, Co-operatives and other private sector entities in generating new and innovative approaches in areas of health, education, green economy, and care for children and the aged, with emphasis on women empowerment and youth employment.
Article 5
Rebuild community based co-operatives to resolve the challenge of equitable representation of all and women in particular, to help the world transition into a cohesive society.
Article 6
Actively collaborate with national co-operative movements, as members of the ICA, to promote the use of information technology initiatives to improve governance, encourage transparency and support modernization and expansion of the socio-economic activities of co-operatives and integration of youth.
Article 7
Uphold and support cooperation among co-operatives, and with other enterprises based on cooperative values and principles, to foster a robust and resilient civil society movement in the pursuit of the SDGs,
C. STRATEGIC FOLLOW UP
Call on all Participants to act on the following STRATEGIC FOLLOW UP ACTIONS to effectively implement the targets envisioned under the HANOI APCMC RESOLUTION on Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships in Realizing the SDGs, in a measurable and time-bound manner, namely:
ACTION STEP 1: To develop concrete action plans and follow-up activities
1.1. Participants will devise concrete action plans in addressing the targets of the HANOI APCMC RESOLUTION by August 2017, and utilize coopsfor2030.coop platform as instrument; organise an initial Stakeholders Council in order to monitor the progress of the aforementioned action steps. The organization of Stakeholder’s Council will compose of one representative each of the sub regions (ASEAN, SAARC, GCC and The Pacific) and one from an International organization/ specialised agency is deemed necessary and important.
1.2. Consultations with partners in co-operative development under the framework of COPAC membership, CICOPA, the European Union and various governments that are associated with ICA, to seek concrete follow up and implementation of the HANOI APCMC RESOLUTION and share its report during the ICA General Assembly in Malaysia in November 2017 .
1.3. More specifically, governments and cooperative movement/organization will promote participation of co-operatives in reporting, in the context of the SDGs, on themes such as gender equality policies, decent work practices, youth employment, care for the environment, etc.
1.3. The Council constituted under 1.1. will monitor and track all action plans received from participants of this 10th APCMC in Hanoi and report on progress made during the Regional Consultations prior to 11th APCMC, and at the 11th APCMC Proper in 2021.
ACTION STEP 2: To devise instruments on Care Economy & Social Economy
Collaboration will be encouraged with relevant stakeholders in organizing regional and sub-regional dialogues on provision of care services through co-operatives bringing in global experiences to strategize toward addressing the demographic issues of child care, ageing, disability, migration, employment and entrepreneurship of women & youth in cooperatives. To encourage and support women members’ participation (ranging from 30% to 50% representation) in committees, bodies, councils and other higher-level cooperative structures.
ACTION STEP 3: To Undertake Research-based Programs relevant to the Implementation of the Multi-Stakeholders Partnerships in Realizing the SDGs.
In light of the SDGs and the related response of co-operatives, programs shall be devised for ICA members, partners and stakeholders on an array of subjects such as ‘future of work,’ new and innovative businesses and changes in technology and its application, impact of climate change, renewable energy, food sovereignty, healthcare for migrants and refugees, autonomy of co-operatives in doing business, and co-operative engagements at nationally/regionally/globally towards revitalizing the co-operative model, all of which will be carefully undertaken based on research and evidence. Training, collection of sex disaggregated data will be a priority during the period. A fifth Critical Study will also be considered to complement this action program.
Action Step 4: To pursue Sub-regional groupings of nations for co-operative development
In order to better understand and serve the national co-operative movements in various geographical areas such as ASEAN, GCC, SAARC and the Pacific Regions, consultations and harmonious collaborations will be carried out within the respective sub-regions and also among sub-regions as deemed necessary, results of which will be reported by ICA-AP no later than December 31, 2018. Areas like implementation of co-operative policies and strategies, and the potential of regional and sub-regional legislative frameworks shall also be explored.
CONCLUSION
This HANOI APCMC RESOLUTION, which is action-oriented and results-based ought to be construed as more than a DECLARATION, the contents of the latter are usually more form than action;
Notwithstanding, Participants reserve the right to utilize this HANOI APCMC RESOLUTION - minus the segment of the STRATEGIC FOLLOW UP ACTIONS - as a legitimate DECLARATION as they deem fit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE DRAFTING TEAM: Drs. Robby Tulus (Indonesia & Canada), Dr. Nandini Azad (India), Mr. Suresh Pradhan (Nepal), Mr. P. Santosh Kumar (ICA-AP), Ms. Heira Hardiyanti (Indonesia), Ms. Nguyet Minh (Vietnam). With contribution from CICOPA, ILO, JA ZENCHU, and NRECA.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to view the Pdf format.
[1] Identity Statement – Definition, Values and Principles of Co-operatives adopted in 1995 at the Centennial Congress of the ICA, Manchester
[2] Principle 7
