Release of the ‘Resource Guide for Advanced Training of Co-operatives on Entrepreneurship Development of Women and Gender Equality’
The ICA ‘Resource Guide for Advanced Training of Co-operatives on Entrepreneurship Development of Women and Gender Equality’ was released by the ICA President Dame Pauline Green on 10 March 2015 at a side event held by ILO-ICA in conjunction with 59th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW 59) on the theme ‘CSW59/Beijing+20 (2015)’from 9-20 March 2015 at United Nations Headquarters, New York.
Mrs. Savitri Singh with ICA President Dame Pauline Green and ICA Director-General Mr. Charles Gould at the event.
As the ICA President released the Resource Guide at the ILO-ICA event on ‘Co-operatives: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment’, said that she is very happy to release the guide developed by the Asia-Pacific office for capacity building of women on entrepreneurship development to achieve gender equality in co-operatives. She further said that the ICA-AP region is very active and committed to women empowerment and enhancing active participation of women in co-operatives. This region is conducting lot of skill development training for women. She also commented that it took ICA 120 years to elect a woman President, though the pioneers of co-operatives encouraged women’s participation since beginning of the co-operative movement. The Resource Guide was introduced to the delegates by Ms. Savitri Singh, Advisor-Gender Program of ICA-AP before the release.
The event was attended by several co-operators and officials of ILO network members and trade unions. Ms. Baasanjav Otgonjargal-State Secretary, Ministry of Population Development and Social Protection of Mongolia, H.E. Od Och-Ambassador, Mission of Mongolia to the UN, Mr. Charles Gould, Director General, Rodrigo Gouveia, Director of Policy and Hanan El-Youssef, Strategy Manager of ICA, Ms. Simel Esim-Head of the COOP Unit , ILO and Ms. María Eugenia Pérez Zea, Chairperson of the ICA Gender Equality Committee, Dr. Lisa Schincariol, Senior Research Consultant, were also present among others. This Resource Guide is an advance version of the ICA-ILO COOPNET ‘Leadership Training Manual for Women Leaders of Co-operatives’ 2005 and is developed to address specific training needs of co-operative members.
Goal: ‘develop a pool of master trainers and implementation of effective strategies to achieve gender equality at all levels, especially at leadership of coops through capacity building of women and men leaders and managers.’
It contains 3 Chapters;
1. Co-operative Governance through Gender Equality: Social aspect of coop business makes it a unique model for women empowerment and gender equality.
2. In the backdrop of Beijing-1995, MDG-2015 explains need for policy and programs for gender equality.
3. Co-operative Enterprises and Management: coops are different from other enterprises. Therefore, management is different.
And information for women to understand about,
- Financial management
- Use of ICT
- E-Commerce
- Concern for environment
- Case Stories from Japan, Philippines, Thailand and India are also included.
Statement on coop identity vis-a-vis market economy perspective; explains how coop is different and its importance and relevance as a business model in changing world economy. This is a live document which includes examples of events held in recent past, ongoing projects and programs for making coops builder of sustainability such as IYC-2012, ICA Blue print for a Co-operative Decade and ICA President’s messages. This document was processed at several stages before attaining its final shape. The draft was tested in 2 trainings held in Japan and India in 2013, Pilot trainings held in Iran, 2013 and Bangladesh, 2014 and inputs collected from trainers and trainees have been incorporated to make it useful, user-friendly and relevant to present changing world economy and market.
We intend to organise regular trainings using this Guide to train members’ .Next Training is scheduled in Mongolia for coop members in May 2015. The Resource Guide will be released by ICA President at Regional level during the ICA Regional Board Meeting and Global Board Meetings which will be held on 30 March 2015 in Singapore wherein Ms. Masako Simbo, Chairperson of the ICA-AP Committee on Women will introduce the document.
Click here to view the Resource Guide
