On 8 March, a webinar on 'Women in Cooperatives: Embrace Equity,' was held in a collaborative effort between the ICA-AP Malaysia Business Office (ICA-AP MBO), the ASEAN Cooperative Organisation (ACO), and the Malaysian National Cooperative Movement (ANGKASA) to mark  International Women's Day (IWD).

The webinar aimed to seek opportunities for increasing women’s membership in cooperatives, address the social and cultural barriers that hinder women’s progress towards achieving their economic rights, discuss the opportunity for leadership roles, and provide potential solutions for women cooperative members’ psychological well-being. These are very much aligned with current issues revolving around gender mainstreaming. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are challenges both within cooperatives and in countries where cooperatives operate. Multiple barriers impose limitations on women, hinder their access to opportunities, and often translate into legal restrictions that institutionalise women’s marginalisation. Gender equity is increasingly seen as a pillar for sustainable economic development and broad social well-being, people-centred economic models that promote the human rights of women and girls need to be reinforced at all levels. Ultimately, eliminating those barriers that thwart gender equality is a critical target for cooperative action and a key priority for cooperative movement in the Asia-Pacific region.

The webinar was divided into two sessions, each with its sub-theme. It featured eight speakers from Asia-Pacific countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and Korea.

Session 1 on the theme “Economic, Social, Culture, and Governance Barriers against Women Progression in Cooperative” was moderated by Pn. Hjh. Noorizan Abd. Latiff. It had four speakers – Ms. Akiko Yamauchi, Executive Director, Co-opdeli Group; Ms Sarah Savira, Regional Chairperson, Indonesian Women Entrepreneurs Cooperative (INKOWAPI); Ms. Christina Rowena Plantila, Chief Executive Officer, Federation of People Sustainable Development Cooperative; and Mr. Suroto, Leader Representative, Induk Koperasi Rakyat Indonesia (inKUR).

Session 2 on the theme “Support System Network in Embracing Equity in Cooperatives” was moderated by Dr. Hayati Md. Salleh. It had speakers like Ms. Jurika Fratiwi, Head of Certification and Compliance, the Indonesian Co-operative Council; Ms. Evangeline Lopez, Head of Credit, National Confederation of Cooperatives Philippines; Ms. Chitra Kumari Thamsuhang Subba, General Manager, National Cooperative Federation of Nepal and an ICA-AP MBO representative from Korea.

The participation was open to all and drew 188 attendees (from Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Nepal) from 80 organizations.

Ms. Chitose Arai, Chair of the ICA-AP Women Committee, delivered the welcome remarks via a video message. Ms. Arai highlighted the gender gap in technology access, emphasizing how it widens inequality and hinders women's progress in various domains. She called attention to the IWD theme of 'Digital: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,' set by the United Nations to investigate the impact of the gender gap in digital on economic and social inequality.

The speakers shared valuable insights and potential solutions for increasing women's membership in cooperatives and addressing the barriers hindering their progress towards achieving economic rights. The webinar highlighted the need for people-centred economic models that promote gender equality and women's empowerment, emphasizing the critical target for cooperative action in eliminating barriers that thwart gender equality.  

In his closing remarks, Datuk Seri Dr. Abdul Fattah Abdullah, President of ANGKASA and ACO, Chairman of ICA-AP Malaysia Business Office, and Vice President of ICA-AP, emphasized the crucial role of women in ensuring a more sustainable future for cooperatives. He noted that their involvement in the decision-making process contributes significantly to the success of cooperatives. As such, promoting and advancing women's participation in cooperatives is a critical priority that requires continued efforts from all stakeholders.

It is hoped that this webinar will serve as a catalyst for further discussion and action towards achieving gender equity within cooperatives and beyond.