By Dileep Sanghani
Dear fellow co-operators!
Warm greetings on International Women’s Day, observed annually on 8 March to celebrate the social economic, cultural and political achievements of women as well as raise awareness about women’s equality!
This year the theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Women in Leadership: achieving an equal Future in a COVID – 19 World”, to highlight the pioneering role played by women and girls in shaping a more equal future and recovery from COVID – 19 pandemic.
Women are heads of state or government in 22 countries and 24.9% of national parliamentarians are women but heartening fact that woman accounts for around 70% of the global health workforce, who have played pioneering role during the COVID – 19 crisis.
Strengthening women’s leadership is the priority within WHO in the strategic approach to tackle the health issues by integrating gender into all aspects of the COVID-19 response.
The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Gender Equality Committee has started one month social media campaign to showcase the important role of cooperatives regarding women in leadership and COVID – 19. The President of the ICA Gender Equality Committee very rightly pointed that is our duty to take part in the building of all policies and strategies focused on bringing forward the rights of women and girls and their empowerment
Cooperatives have been playing an important role in promoting Gender and Socio-Economic Equality on the line of Goal No. 5 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of United Nations to transform the world by 2030.
The study conducted by International Cooperative Alliance – Asia Pacific and Indian Cooperative Network for Women (ICNW) states that there is 1 women member against 3 male members in a cooperative and participation of women in decision making of the cooperative have increased over past few years.
The dairy cooperatives in Gujarat (AMUL brand) and Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad are examples of highly successful women leader cooperative business that is famous not only in India, but worldwide.
During the Covid crisis, many women led cooperatives worked with local government bodies as well as private sectors to distribute food kits, sanitizers, masks and other essentials as well as organized health training to grassroots leaders in preventive healthcare. After the initial relief effort, the women’s cooperatives have been active in building livelihood and services.
NCUI has established a National Committee for Empowerment of Women to periodically review the existing situation of women cooperative in India and evolving schemes / projects for enhancing women’s participation in the affairs of cooperatives.
On International Women’s Day, I would like to urge all the member women led cooperatives to pursue with the Government to prepare a Cooperative Policy with a chapter exclusively on Gender Equality and women participation in decision making in cooperatives.
