Global survey shows rising women’s participation in cooperatives
08 Mar 2015
PRESS RELEASE
A joint survey of the ILO and the International Co-operative Alliance reflects gains for women in co-operatives while pointing to the need for better recognition by governments
Brussels, 9 March 2015 – An online survey conducted by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Cooperatives Unit and the International Co-operative Alliance shows 75 per cent of survey respondents feel that women’s participation in co-operatives has increased over the past 20 years.
Regarding the survey findings, the president of the International Co-operative Alliance, Dame Pauline Green said, “The Alliance and ILO joint survey highlights the unique effectiveness of the co-operative model in providing women with a dignified way out of poverty, often away from violence and abuse.”
“I am also thrilled with the survey’s indicators towards a high number of women in leadership positions, particularly in our finance and insurance co-operatives,” she added.
Key findings indicate that co-operatives are having an increasingly positive impact on women: 80 per cent of survey respondents felt that co-operatives are better than other types of private or public sector business in advancing gender equality.
“Co-operatives have a history of contributing to equality as well as to economic and social empowerment,” said Simel Esim, Chief of the ILO Cooperatives Unit (COOP).
“Considering that 2015 marks 20 years since the adoption of the United Nations’ Beijing Declaration on gender equality and women’s empowerment, these survey results reflect a positive trend for women’s involvement and advancement through the co-operative movement,” she added.
The poll of nearly 600 respondents included co-operative practitioners, civil society organizations, academics, and government workers. Fifty per cent of respondents were from Europe and 15 per cent from both Asia and North America, respectively. The remaining respondents were from sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central America, and the Middle East and North Africa.
Culture and legal framework are most significant barriers
According to survey respondents, cultural issues are the most significant barrier to gender equality encountered by co-operatives. This was overwhelmingly felt by 65 percent of survey respondents.
Survey respondents also said further support of civil society and recognition by the state would continue to boost women’s empowerment and gender equality through co-operatives.
The poll results show that access to employment is being indirectly facilitated by co-operatives in fields such as housing, healthcare, childcare, and eldercare, which provide women with affordable and accessible services that enable them to work.
Women’s opportunity to participate in governance highly important
About two thirds of survey respondents felt that women’s opportunity to participate in governance and management is a highly important feature of co-operatives.
While 50 per cent of respondents felt that member education and training were vital for co-operatives, about the same number indicated that in the co-operatives they were most familiar with, there are never training sessions relevant to women’s empowerment and gender equality.
Data gathered from the respondents revealed there seemed to be growing attention to gender issues, movement of women into leadership roles, and the increasing development of women owned co-operatives.
In Europe and North America this was noted to be the case within the financial and social co-operatives specifically, while progress in the agricultural sector was particularly observed within Africa, Latin America, and India.
The International Co-operative Alliance is an independent, non-governmental organisation established in 1895 to unite, represent and serve co-operatives worldwide. The Alliance provides a global voice and forum for knowledge, expertise and co-ordinated action for and about co-operatives.
The members of the Alliance are international and national co-operative organisations from all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, banking, consumer, fisheries, health, housing, insurance, and workers. The Alliance has members from 100 countries, representing close to one billion individuals worldwide.
Co-operatives are successful values based businesses owned by their members. Whether they are customers, employees or residents, the members get an equal say in the business and a share of the profits.
According to the World Co-operative Monitor (http://www.monitor.coop) the world’s top 300 co-operatives have 2.2 trillion USD in turnover. Co-operatives generate partial or full-time employment for at least 250 million individuals worldwide, either in or within the scope of co-operatives, making up almost 12% of the entire employed population of the G20 countries.
The ILO promotes rights at the workplace, encourages decent employment opportunities, enhances social protection and strengthens dialogue on work-related issues.
