On the eve of International Day of women Indian Cooperative’s desk has been busy sorting the reactions of cooperators coming from across the country. Though the cooperative scene in the country had been dismal as far as participation of women in the cooperative affairs is concerned, a grand beginning had been made by the leading cooperative organization IFFCO in this regard.
Talking on the occasion of the National Conference on Empowerment of Women through Cooperatives in Delhi recently IFFCO Managing Director U S Awasthi referred to the current election of IFFCO delegates which is underway and said that IFFCO has decided to co-opt women at the delegate level in case they do not get elected on their own. True participation would be possible only when they are present in large numbers in the General Bodies, he felt.
Though 97th Constitutional Amendment mandates inclusion of women in the Board, cooperatives are shirking the responsibility on the ground of non-availability of women candidates. IFFCO formula of co-option could be adopted to solve the issue to begin with, experts said.
We publish below the comments of several cooperative leaders on this day
Dr U S Awasthi, MD, IFFCO:
There would have been no human race without women. Earth would have been barren planet like all other.
Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, President, NCUI:
Through cooperatives and SHGs, women can solve their problem of employment, and cooperatives should be encouraged to get involved in the welfare of women.
Jaya Arunachalam, President WWF Forum
Women who work both at home and outside must have facilitation to form more cooperatives as a way of life and create a social platform towards collective action.
R S Sodi, MD, GCMMF:
Being called better-half they need to move shoulder to shoulder with us. Amul has tried and succeeded in this to a great extent. Amul has achieved this success due to trust and faith of millions of rural women in cooperative.
Mukund Abhyankar, President NAFCUB:
Women have to play a still larger role towards financial inclusion for which they are certainly capable of. Best wishes for this on International Women’s Day.
Virendra Singh, Chairman NCCF:
Women promoted in cooperatives can be strength, as they are capable of running a family and society successfully by cooperation and coordination. Example Amul and Lijjat Papad.
B Subramaniyam, MD NAFSCOB
There is an urgent need on the part of the Indian Cooperative movement-all segments to put in place their board approved initiatives and policies to support women advancement on the eve of International Women’s Day, originally known as International Working Women’s Day.
G N Saxena, Director IFFCO:
Intelligent quotient in human species is women
Dr Dinesh, Chief Executive NCUI
The fastest way to change the world is through mobilization of women.