Co-ops and Gender Equality

IWD 2020 message from ICA: Co-ops as tool to reduce socio-economic injustices faced by
women
International Women’s Day (IWD) Message 2020 of the Executive Committee of the
International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Gender Equality Committee

Photo: ica.coop/Paula Kindsvater via CC 4.0

COOPERATIVES CAN BE THE TOOL TO REDUCE THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC INJUSTICES

FACED BY WOMEN!
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are challenges both within cooperatives, and in
countries where cooperatives operate. Multiple barriers impose limitations on women, hindering their
access to opportunities, often translating into legal restrictions that institutionalise women’s
marginalisation. Eliminating those barriers that thwart gender equality is a critical target for
cooperative action and a key priority for the International Cooperative Alliance and its member
organisations, which aim for a gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.

International Women’s Day represents an unmissable opportunity to mobilise global action to

achieve gender equality for all women and girls. In 2020, the theme I am Generation Equality:
Realizing Women’s Rights marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action which recognised the multiple benefits of cooperatives. Now, it is time for the UN and
international cooperative development sector to increase and prioritise aid to key development
actors that strengthen women's economic, social and political empowerment.

Cooperative solutions go beyond business as usual in market economies and can help achieve the
Leave no one behind-agenda contributing to “A decade of action and delivery”.

As economic actors, considering gendered norms, women continue to earn less, are more likely to
partake in unpaid labour and more apt to be excluded from decent work. However, we must remind
people that, when women establish or join cooperatives, they perform innovative labour activities,
earning higher incomes and increasing their business performance and competitiveness. Joining
cooperatives increases their decision-making in the household, and improves their participation and
empowerment within community affairs - given that cooperatives, as people-centred enterprises
focus on inclusive employment enabling at large women who suffer multi-faceted inequalities

Some examples show how this can be done.

- In Spain, for example, women represent 54% of management and command positions in worker
cooperatives;
- In Italy the percentage of employed women, compared to the total, is 59% that means 1 million and
350 thousand women, with a good retention of employment even in times of crisis, women represent
50% of members and 24.8% of Board of Directors members.
- In the search for strategies to promote the participation of women in decision-making spaces of the
cooperative sector, gender violence was identified as an invisible barrier to the greater participation
of women in Argentina. In 2019, the Argentine Confederation of Cooperatives (Cooperar) has taken
the decision to implement a Protocol of Prevention of Gender Violence, which each entity can then
take as an example and adapt it to its characteristics.
-In Nepal, 40% of the board of directors in cooperatives are women and 51% of members in
cooperatives are women (out 6.5 million members in the country)
- In the Philippines, cooperatives participate in the implementation of SDGs in several areas with the
assistance of the government, specifically, gender equality and the empowerment of women. The
Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (1995-2025) mandated the implementation of
gender and development in public and private sector, in accord with the provision of human rights
guaranteed by the Constitution. The Cooperative Development Authority mandates all the registered
cooperatives to mainstream gender and development.
-In Nigeria, women constitute of 60% of the cooperative membership with 45% of the cooperative
leadership being taken by women. The government and the cooperative movement promoted a
Strategic Framework and national policy support and also registered the Nigeria Cooperative
Women Alliance (NICOWA) to advocate for women participation in governance of all cooperative
organizations and development of women cooperatives.
- In Ethiopia, women make up to 42% of the cooperative membership and participate in different
leadership positions in their cooperative thanks to an existing bylaw which states that there should
be at least one female member in each and every cooperative management committee.

In times of conflict and post-conflict reconstruction, we see that the cooperatives are always among
the first enterprises to be established.

Women are the first ones to join, restoring a fabric based on mutual trust and hope, addressing
personal and communal needs such as freedom from violence and armed conflicts. Cooperatives
are committed to fight any form of harassment and violence against women and their benefits in
building peace and resilience have been recognised by key institutions at multiple levels including
the ILO recommendation on the 2017 Employment and Decent Work for the Transition to Peace.
Moreover

Considering that gender equity is increasingly seen as a pillar for sustainable economic development
and broad social well-being, people-centered economic models which promote human rights of
women and girls at all levels need to be reinforced, making the SDG5 a reality.

Cooperatives can be the tool to reduce the socio-economic injustices faced by women!

Executive Committee of the ICA Gender Equality Committee:

María Eugenia Pérez Zea, Chair of the ICA Gender Equality Committee

Xiomara Núñez de Céspedes, Vice-Chair of the ICA Gender Equality Committee and chair of the
regional ICA GEC for the Americas

Marjaana Saarikoski, Vice-Chair of the ICA Gender Equality Committee

Nandini Azad, Chair of the ICA Asia Pacific Women’s Committee

Esther N. Gicheru, Chair of the Research and Gender Committee of ICA Africa

Stefania Marcone, Vice President of Cooperatives Europe and Chair of its Gender Equality Working
Group

Arti Bisaria, Women's Empowerment Committee of NCUI (the National Cooperative Union of India)

Vanya Boyuklieva, Vice President of Cooperatives Europe

Malena Riudavets, Head of Gender Equality and vice-president of COCETA (the Spanish
Confederation of worker cooperatives)

GERC supports "18-day campaign to end VAW"

Image: PCW

The Gender Equality Resource Center (GERC) Inc. supports the Philippines's “18-Day
Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW)” led by the Philippine Commission
on  Women (PCW), in coordination with the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against
Women and Children (IACVAWC) (November 25-December 12)
 
FACT SHEET on the Campaign
Source: https://pcw.gov.ph/event/2019-18-day-campaign-end-violence-against-women
 
World Health Organization (WHO)—global estimates: About 1 in 3 women (35%)
worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence from intimate
partner or non-partner in their lifetime.
 
The Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), in its National Demographic Health Survey
2017, states that 1 in 4 Filipino women, aged 15-49, has experienced physical,
emotional or sexual violence from their husband or partner.
 
Because violence against women (VAW) appears as one of the Philippines’s pervasive
social problems, various measures and mechanisms have been employed and
implemented to address it. Among the measures is the “18-Day Campaign to End
VAW,” an annual advocacy campaign from November 25 to December 12 (Proclamation
No. 1172 s. 2006 by President Gloria Arroyo).
 
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•       Through Republic Act No. 10398 (Act declaring November 25 of every year as the National
Consciousness Day for the Elimination of VAWC), government agencies are mandated to raise
awareness on the problem of violence and the elimination of all forms of violence against women
and girls.
 
•       Originally, it was a 16-day action against gender-based violence to support the international
campaign that originated from the first Women Leadership Institute at Reuters University, New
Jersey, USA, in 1991. The action was to run from November 25 (“International Day to Eliminate
VAW) until December 10 (“International Human Rights Day”), to emphasize that VAW is a human
rights violation and to ensure better protection for survivors and victims of violence.
 
•       2006: Philippine President Arroyo signed Proclamation No. 1172 to extend the country’s
campaign to 18 days to include December 12, which marks the signing in year 2000 of the “United
Nations (UN) Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and
Children,” to supplement the “UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crimes.”

•       2008: The campaign was further strengthened the UN Secretary General launched the “UNiTE to
End VAW Campaign” that envisions a world free from all forms of violence against women and girls.
For the UN, this vision can only be realized through meaningful actions and ongoing political
commitments of national governments, supported by adequate resources.
 
2019 Campaign Theme and Objectives
•       The PCW, in coordination with Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and Children
(IACVAWC), is tasked to lead, monitor, and evaluate the annual nationwide observance of the
18-Day Campaign to End VAW.
 
•       2016-2021 theme: “VAW-free community starts with Me” to emphasize everyone’s commitment
and contributions on ending VAW, and presents an ideal picture of a VAW-free community, thus
inspiring the general public to make a personal commitment to end VAWC.
 
•       2019: The campaign continues to underscore the significant role of individuals, especially the
youth, in fighting VAW and girls in various institutions. The campaign focuses on Primary
Prevention to reduce incidents of VAW across the country, which can be achieved by
empowering individuals to know and claim their rights, and to educate them where to seek help
in cases of violence. Specific aims:
Promote awareness on the forms of violence women and girls experience
Provide information on laws protecting women and girls
 Feature VAW-related services that people can access and avail
Gather public support for the campaign.
 
•       Violence against women and girls is not just a major public health problem—it is also a grave
violation of human rights; extremely manifests gender inequity, targeting women and girls
because of their subordinate status in the society.
 
•       UN definition of VAW: “Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or likely to result in,
physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion
or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.” Violence and the
threats of violence can be experienced by every woman of any age, skin color, gender identity,
ethnicity, religion, disabilities, economic, and social status.
 

18 Things that We Can Do to Help End Violence Against Women (VAW)

Woman/Girl
1. Empower yourself. Know your rights and available courses of actions in case these
rights are violated.
2. Speak out and report to the authorities in case your rights are violated.
3. Encourage others to fight for their rights.
 
Man/Boy 

4. Respect women and girls in your home, workplace, and community.

5. Join male groups promoting Anti-VAW efforts and participate in discussions to
broaden your awareness on the advocacy.
6. Enlighten/advise perpetrators to seek help and join the male Anti-VAW supporters.
 
Government Agencies

7. Equip yourselves with apt trainings and capacity development sessions to improve
service delivery for your clients.
8. Develop monitoring and evaluation strategy to assess the service to  your clients
supporters.
9. Let people know that you provide the services! We need to inform the public that
there are government offices that they can turn to and trust to assist them towards
healing and seeking justice.
 
Barangay (small village)

10. Ensure that your Barangay VAW Desk is functional. You can use the Barangay VAW
Desk Handbook developed by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) with partner-agencies to
guide you on what to do.
11. Establish linkages with local and national government agencies, as well as other
organizations near your barangay where you can refer victim-survivors of VAW for
needed assistance which the barangay is not able to provide.
12. Promote harmonious family and community relationships in your barangay, which is
grounded on mutual respect for human rights, and take proactive steps to attain a
VAW-free community.
 
Private Sector

13. Support the Anti-VAW efforts of the government and your immediate community.
14. Establish your own Action Desks where employees and clients can go to in case
VAW happens.
15. Develop internal rules to proactively ensure that your workplace is VAW-free.
 
Academe/Training Institutions

16. Include concepts of VAW and women’s human rights in lesson plans/lesson guides
of your teaching staff
17. Continually conduct/spearhead anti-VAW advocacies in your campus, and if
possible, to your immediate community through extension programs.
18. Setup a Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) where students and
employees can seek help
 

2019 Campaign Activities The following activities are spearheaded by the PCW in

partnership with key partner institutions:

•         Cine Juana Digital Shorts Competition (Deadline of submission of entries: November
4, 2019, 5:00 PM PST; Awarding Ceremony: November 25, 2019).
This competition recognizes film as a powerful tool in raising awareness on violence
and inspiring action to prevent it. Open to Senior High School and College students
in the Philippines, the competition has the following categories: #JuanParaKayJuana
(Male Point-of-View), #LabanJuana (Female Point-of-View), and #LigtasJuana
(Promoting Safe Spaces).

•         Orange your Icon for 18 Days Advocacy Initiative (November 25-December 12,
2019)
This activity shall strengthen the anti-VAW advocacy by enjoining new audiences to
join the cause to end VAW. The idea is to attract the general public’s curiosity on
why major landmarks or iconic spots are orange in color, thereby providing
opportunities for advocates to explain the anti-VAW advocacy.

•          2019 Youth Forum on VAW (November 25, 2019 l 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. PICC, Pasay
City)
The PCW, in collaboration with the IACVAWC members and other partners, shall
hold a forum involving youth participants. The forum shall serve as a venue to
 promote the concept on non-violence and positive masculinities, and to raise
awareness on VAW and other laws protecting women and girls through age-
appropriate core messages.

•          Anti-VAW Expo 2019 (November 27-29, 2019. 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Multi-Purpose
Hall, UP College of Fine Arts, Diliman Quezon City)
The expo shall feature five interactive booths where participants shall be oriented on
VAW laws, encourage help-seeking behavior in cases of VAW, leading to a
commitment wall to end VAW dubbed as “I Vow to End VAW.”

•          18-Day Campaign Online Advocacy

Everyone is encouraged to share their advocacy activities online through: 

Use of official hashtag: #VAWFreePH and making their posts public to

generate  traction online

Use of 18-Day Campaign to End VAW Facebook Profile Frame available

through the PCW FB   page

Feature the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW in agency websites and social
media accounts

Sharing the social media cards that PCW will release through its official
Facebook and Twitter accounts.

#VAWFreePH