ILO COOP/SSE participated and presented on implications of COVID-19 pandemic on gender equality within the cooperative movement

Organized by the International Cooperative Alliance- Africa Regional Office and We Effect Regional Office for East Africa, the webinar brought together cooperative leaders from Asia and Africa regions as speakers reflecting on key challenges to gender equality around the pandemic and response strategies by cooperatives.

News | 23 July 2020

The International Cooperative Alliance- Africa Regional Office and We Effect Regional Office for East Africa have organized a webinar on “Implications of Covid-19 Impacts on Gender Equality within the Cooperative Movement” that was held on 23rd July 2020.

The webinar aimed to gain a better understanding of gender equality concerns emerging during and in the aftermath of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It also aimed to document mitigation and adaptation strategies by the cooperative movement in the continent. ILO COOP Manager, Ms. Simel Esim, participated in the webinar along with cooperative leaders from Africa and Asia. In her presentation she reflected on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender equality in cooperatives as it relates to frontline workers, informal economy, care economy and gender-based violence. She underlined the need for integration of cooperatives into public and private sector efforts in rebuilding economies and improving resilience of communities.

Other speakers deliberated around responses from cooperatives across countries in Asia Pacific region and Africa, including India, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa in a range of sectors from agriculture and housing to finance. A list and profile of speakers is available here. The speakers emphasized pressing issues including food security, access to health services and use of technology. They emphasized the importance of data and use of social media by cooperatives.

It was proposed that a report could be developed based on the presentations at the event. The concept note for the webinar is available here. A recording of the webinar is available here.