97th International Cooperative Day: Message from ICA President

By Ariel Gauro

On this year’s International Day of Cooperatives (CoopsDay) to be celebrated on 6th July, we as cooperatives are championing our commitment to decent work.

Given today’s widening inequality, increased job insecurity, and high unemployment levels – particularly among young people – the 2019 Coopsday theme “Cooperatives 4 decent work” wishes to support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 “Inclusive development and decent work.”

To do this we’re joining forces with the International Labour Organisation – the ILO – an organisation we’ve worked with hand in hand since its inception and who this year are celebrating their centenary with a special focus on the future of work.

We have recently reaffirmed our century-long friendship by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster collaboration and the promotion of cooperatives as a sustainable business model to advance inclusive and sustainable development.

With the ICA having committed itself to “respect, promote, and act diligently to support the fundamental tenets of decent work” through its Declaration on Decent Work and Against Harassment, we also welcomed the ILO Centenary Declaration adopted on 21st June which commits “to a world free of violence and harassment” and gives recognition to cooperatives and the social and solidarity economy.

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