Speaking virtually at the just concluded UN’s 60th session of the Commission on Social Development side event, Working Women’s Forum President Dr. Nandini Azad paid tribute to her mother the legendary founder of WWF late Dr. Jaya Arunachalam who took initiative to organize atomized and unregulated women from the informal sector into this mass cooperative organization.
The high voltage event was entitled: “Women cooperative warriors combat COVID-19 with sustainable gender and equity strategies: The Iconic case of Working Women’s Forum (India) and the Indian Cooperative Network for Women”. It was held in Chennai.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Azad called ICNW and WWF as great achievements of India’s cooperative sector. She said spread across Southern states of India the cooperatives have been working for 43 years and helping the poor and helpless women. She noted that WWF -ICNW have been playing an active role in the international cooperative movement as well raising gender and cooperative issues. of the neglected sections of population trapped in the brutal informal sector.
The Secretary, New Ministry of Cooperatives, Government of India Mr D K Singh on behalf of the Government of India congratulated Dr Azad and her organizations for the event as well as for informing the gathering about the challenges confronting Indian women and their overcoming them through engagement with cooperatives.
Madam Daniela Bas Director, Division for Inclusive Social Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs |United Nations, inaugurated the event in Chennai from New York.
The comprehensive keynote address on the issue, was delivered by Madam Simel Esim, Head of the Cooperative Unit of the International Labour Organizations, Geneva.
A short video on the theme of the event i.e., The micro entrepreneur warrior i.e., Covid heroines event honouring thousands of poor women that helped their organizations/ cooperatives survive the pandemic was shown on the occasion.
Several distinguished co-operators representing, the International Raiffeisen Union the world’s oldest cooperative union from Germany and DGRV, the association of German Cooperative Unions, the Asia Pacific Committee on Women for the International Cooperative Alliance for Asia Pacific, the Japanese Consumer Cooperative Union (JCCU) and others attended the event virtually.