Gender equality and women's empowerment in cooperatives: A literature review

06 Oct 2016

Gender equality and women's empowerment in co-operatives: A literature review reveals the contributions of co-operatives on this theme in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, and identifies ways that co-operatives can do more to further gender-related objectives.

The report is the second phase of a survey and interview project undertaken by the ICA and the International Labour Organization in March 2015. It examines existing literature on gender equality and women's empowerment in co-operatives in terms of economic rights and access, social and cultural rights, legal rights, political participation and psychological well-being.

In addition to outlining emerging trends, the literature review analyses the agriculture, finance, and consumer sectors, and explores how gender equality and women's empowerment fare in these different contexts with specific case study examples from co-operatives around the world.

The report is complemented by a list of eighteen practical publications (guidebooks, manuals, and other training materials) on gender equality and women's empowerment of interest for co-operatives, gathering and describing these resources in one place for the first time.

Action-oriented recommendations for further action cover policy and legislation, cooperatives' operations, women's capacities, and research needs.