ICA Coop

25 years promoting gender inclusion and equality in cooperatives of Asia and Pacific

16 Oct 2023
ICA GEC AP

On 19 September 2023, the ICA Asia and Pacific Committee on Women (Women’s Committee) celebrated its 25th anniversary with a hybrid event hosted by the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU) and the Women’s Committee in Tokyo. Under the theme “Gender Equality for a Brighter Future”, the event gathered 169 delegates (98 onsite and 71 online). 

The ICA Asia and Pacific Committee on Women has been promoting gender inclusion and equality in cooperatives in the region of Asia and Pacific since 1998.

Aside from the Women’s Committee’s members and upcoming women leaders in the cooperative sector from different countries, representatives of international organisations such as the UN Women and public officials from the Government of Japan attended the event.

Women’s Committee’s members presented their own initiatives to promote gender equality in their cooperative organisations and identified priority areas to work on in the next 25 years, such as the following ones:

  • Reservation for women in decision-making bodies
  • Promoting women's leadership in cooperatives
  • Ensuring gender budgeting in cooperatives
  • Involving and capacitating youth
  • Promoting gender-disaggregated data in cooperatives

The ICA Gender Equality Committee's Chair, Xiomara Núñez de Céspedes, joined the celebration with an article published in the 25th anniversary booklet.

In addition, a special video showcases significant moments and accomplishments realised over the last 25 years of the ICA Asia and Pacific Committee on Women.

Learn more detailed information about the event here.