At the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) General Assembly in Rome, Secretary General Andrea Porro lauded the historic participation of WFO in the upcoming G20 Social Summit 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
He gave special recognition to Dr. Nandini Azad of the Indian Cooperative Network for Women (ICNW) and the Working Women’s Forum (WWF), both WFO members, for her address during the Summit’s Opening Ceremony.
Porro, addressing the virtual General Assembly, described Dr. Azad’s contribution as a great honour for WFO, noting that this marks the organization’s first engagement with the G20 process. He emphasized WFO’s commitment to amplifying the voices of farmers, especially women, on global platforms.
Dr. Azad, who serves as WFO’s Global Coordinator for the Cooperative Working Group, stated, “Bringing grassroots women’s voices to global tables is our priority.”
Her report also highlighted a landmark session hosted by WWF-ICNW at the UN Commission for Social Development (UNCSocD)—the only panel focusing on women and cooperatives. The session featured co-op leaders and over 300 grassroots women across continents.
Brazil’s Minister for Agrarian Development, H.E. Paulo Teixeira, expressed strong support for global women co-operators, while the Caricom Agriculture Division reaffirmed its commitment to gender-equitable cooperative policies.
In another major event, WWF-ICNW organized a parallel session at the UNCSW69 titled “Global Leadership of Grassroots Women Co-operators in the UN Year of Cooperatives.” The discussion underscored the pivotal role of cooperatives in advancing gender equity, social justice, and economic empowerment for poor women globally.
WWF-ICNW’s leadership continues to inspire global cooperative movements, reinforcing the transformative power of gender-inclusive, grassroots entrepreneurship.
Their work celebrates the enduring contributions of women-led cooperatives in India and beyond—firmly embedding them in international policy agendas.
Dr. Azad’s visionary leadership and the legacy of WWF-ICNW continue to shape a future where poor women co-operators play a defining role in global decision-making.
