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GENDER ISSUES IN COOPERATIVES:
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The idea to develop a 2-hour introductory session on gender issues in cooperatives for cooperative leaders and policy makers originated from discussions on gender issues held at the third Working Session of the ILO COOPNET Programme. The COOPNET Programme (Human Resource Development for Cooperative Management and Networking), collaborates closely with the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) in programme activities. The ICA is an independent, non-governmental association which unites, represents and serves cooperatives worldwide. Both the ILO COOPNET Programme and the ICA are committed to the promotion of gender integration in cooperative human resource development (HRD).
After the COOPNET Working Session, the ICA was commissioned to develop a guide to enable the users (trainers or moderators) to design a 2-hour introductory session on gender issues in cooperatives. A general outline for the guide was discussed and inputs provided by cooperative leaders and policy makers from Asian and African countries who attended an interregional workshop at the International Institute Histadrut (IIH) in Israel in November 1994. This workshop on "Gender Issues in Cooperative HRD: From Theory to Practice", was organized by the ILO in collaboration with the ICA and IIH.
The enhanced participation of women in cooperatives and the benefits for cooperatives of involving women as equal partners in cooperative development are issues that are given special attention in the guide. The main aim of the 2-hour sessions for cooperative leaders and policy makers is therefore to generate increased gender awareness and to encourage the integration of gender issues in cooperative development.
It is important to note that this guide should be used as a tool to facilitate the planning and design of gender sensitization sessions. It outlines the possible contents of these sessions and includes additional background information on gender. The complete "package" contains a sensitization module accompanied by transparencies which will assist the user in the preparation of the session. The package also contains a poster which can be displayed to promote the sensitization session, and leaflets which can be distributed to participants after the session.
Finally, it should also be mentioned that the initial draft guide was tested by professional trainers and institutions in several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Their comments and inputs were greatly appreciated and have been extremely useful in compiling the final version.
 | International Labour Office (ILO) |  | International Co-operative Alliance |
Posted: 2 May 2001