Youth Programs

International Youth Day 2024

The theme for International Youth Day (IYD) 2024 was « From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development. » Atty. Ms. Dulce S. Bustamante, Chairperson of the ICA-AP Committee on Youth Cooperation (ICYC), shared a solidarity message urging the cooperative youth to foster digitalization and inclusivity, contributing to the acceleration of sustainable development goals.

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Asia Pacific Young Farmers Camp and Agrilympics

The Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), Pacific Farmer Organizations (PFO), and the ICA-AP organized the first Asia Pacific Young Farmers’ Camp and Agrilympics from 12-16 August 2024, at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Laguna. The theme of the event, "Strengthening Young Farmers’ Engagement in Cooperatives and Organizations to Contribute to Safe, Just, and Resilient Food Communities," aimed to raise awareness about agriculture as a viable career and encourage youth participation in the cooperative sector.

Around 120 young farmers from 20 countries, including members of ICYC, participated. The week-long camp kicked off with a vibrant Parade of Nations, celebrating the diversity and unity of young farmers from across the Asia-Pacific region. The lighting of the cauldron, inspired by the Olympic Games, marked the official opening of the camp and set the tone for a week of engaging activities. The event featured workshops, training sessions, exhibitions, and networking opportunities to support young farmers in sustainable agriculture.

The week-long camp featured workshops, training sessions, exhibitions, and networking opportunities to support young farmers in sustainable agriculture. Atty. Bustamante, ICYC Chairperson, highlighted the importance of IYD, which is celebrated to recognize the role of youth in driving sustainable development. Mr. Balu Iyer, ICA-AP Regional Director, shared a video message highlighting the crucial role of youth in creating sustainable and resilient food systems. Mr. Shree Padmanabhan, secretary of ICYC moderated a plenary that delved into enabling policies and good practices for engaging young farmers. This session featured speakers who shared valuable insights on policies and best practices. Ms. Sita Hindowar, an ICYC member from India, representing the Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative (IFFCO) gave a comprehensive presentation on Cooperatives as a viable model. During the closing ceremony, it was announced that the next edition of Young Farmers Camp and Agrilympics will be held on the Pacific Island in 2026.

Go Green Campaign 6.0

The ICYC, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Imus and the Rotaract Club of Imus, celebrated the sixth edition of the Go Green Campaign (GGC) on 15 August 2024 in the Imus City of the Philippines. GGC aims to empower young leaders in building a sustainable future and promoting green jobs. GGC was launched in 2018 with a vision to connect youth with the SDGs and enhance the cooperative movement’s identity as a sustainable model for the environment and society.

Members of the ICYC, Rotary Club of Imus, and Rotaract Club of Imus planted around 30 Banaba saplings along Ragatan Road. The location was specifically chosen by one of the partners, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, as this road is included in the Strategic Plan of the local government to be developed into a friendly community for all motorists, pedestrians, and the whole community of Anabu I-C. It is a public space wherein future parks, commercial spaces, and other infrastructures will be built — thereby needing balance ecologically. ICYC also encouraged its members, who could not join the campaign in the Philippines, to initiate environmental programs (such as tree planting or clean-up, and seminars) with their cooperatives in their respective countries. As part of the ICYC’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, the seventh edition of the GGC will focus on promoting green jobs, creating awareness, and providing opportunities for youth to engage in sustainable employment.

Women’s Programs

International Women’s Day 2024

The theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024 was « Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress ». Ms. Chitose Arai, Chairperson of the ICA-AP Committee on Women, shared a solidarity message sharing committee’s work and urging cooperators in the Asia and Pacific region to continue allocating their time to hear, see, understand, and acknowledge women’s voices and facilitate dialogues so that we continue to prosper collectively and develop sustainably.

Webinar on International Women’s Day

Aligned with the United Nations theme "Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress" for International Women’s Day 2024, the ICYC convened an online forum on « INSPIRE INCLUSION: An International Forum on Youth, Women, and Cooperatives » on 8 March 2024 to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD).

The forum focused on advancing women’s economic empowerment in the cooperative sector, recognizing the transformative impact women can have on the growth of cooperatives, inclusivity, gender balance, and the importance of youth and women in cooperatives. It brought together speakers from the cooperative movement to shed light on the challenges encountered by women in the cooperative sector and to highlight the success stories of women and youth who have significantly contributed to cooperative development.

Emphasizing the positive outcomes of women’s active involvement in economic activities, presentations centred on examining gender-based challenges within cooperatives and discussing strategies for resilience-building to foster more inclusive and supportive environments. Furthermore, discussions revolved around how the active participation of youth can strengthen women’s economic empowerment within cooperatives.

Ms. Ana Aguirre, President of the ICA Youth Committee (Global), expressed her support for the advocacy of ICYC for women and youth empowerment. Ms. Nelusha Deshani of the National Cooperative Council of Sri Lanka, as the guest speaker, elucidated « Sri Lanka’s Initiatives to Engage Young Women in the Cooperative Sector » to inspire greater youth involvement in cooperatives. Ms. Deshani highlighted the historical significance of women and youth in achieving the establishment and sustainability of cooperativism in Sri Lanka, noting the predominant female membership within Sri Lankan cooperatives. Another speaker, Ms. Salonie Muralidhara, Strategic Consultant of SEWA Cooperative Federation, India also discussed women’s involvement in developing the Indian cooperative movement.

NGO CSW68 Forum Parallel Event: « Impact of Cooperative Financing on Women’s Empowerment in Asia-Pacific »

The ICA-AP Committee on Women and Committee on Credit and Banking co-organized a virtual side event titled ‘Impact of Cooperative Financing on Women’s Empowerment in Asia-Pacific’ during the NGO CSW68 Forum on 12 March 2024. Attended by around 90 participants from Asia, Africa, and Europe, the event highlighted cooperative banks, credit societies, and insurance businesses’ role in advancing gender equality and empowering women.

Ms. Chitose Arai emphasized the 2024 IWD theme and stressed the need for cooperative initiatives that reduce gender disparities. Mr. Arvind Kumar Srivastava, ex General Manager of NABARD, India, delivered the keynote address. He shared successful examples of cooperative banks supporting women, such as the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank in India, Mahila Milan Savings and Credit Cooperative in Nepal, and Bangladesh Samabaya Bank. He emphasized the importance of responsible governance, women-centric financial products, improved data systems, and skilled human resources to ensure cooperative banks’ sustainability and effectiveness.

Thematic presentations showcased cooperative initiatives promoting women’s economic empowerment:

• Ms. Madhu Rayamajhi, Head of Business Development and Member Secretary of the Gender Equality Subcommittee, National Cooperative Bank Ltd. (NCBL) in Nepal highlighted her cooperative’s efforts, including 50:50 gender representation in membership, 33% women reservation in cooperative boards, and fintech solutions ensuring women’s financial access.
• Ms. Anagha Kamath, Director of Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank (India), presented the bank’s customized products for women, such as micro-savings, umbrella loans, and digital banking support through women’s ‘sakhis’.
• Ms. Sylvia Quinesio, Vice-President for Sales and Marketing at 1CISP in the Philippines, introduced Koop4HER, an insurance product addressing women’s health, finances, and entrepreneurship.
• Ms. Yuki Nishimoto from the Public Relations Division, Joint Management Department at CO-OP Insurance (Kyosai) Consumers’ Co-operative Federation in Japan shared how Co-op Kyosai developed specialized insurance plans for women and promoted breast cancer awareness through the Pink Ribbon Campaign.

During the panel discussion, Mr. K.K. Ravindran, Chairperson, ICA-AP Committee on Credit and Banking and Managing Director, National Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks’ Federation Ltd. (NAFCARD) in India; Ms. Elenita V. San Roque, CEO, Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU) in Thailand; and Ms. Sylvia Quinesio shared their views on why financial cooperatives remain a preferred choice for women. Key reasons include cooperative values of inclusivity, ownership, customized financial solutions, and supportive environments that empower women.

The event underscored the importance of adopting digitalization to enhance cooperative services and sustain competitiveness. Panelists also encouraged collaboration between cooperatives to strengthen financial security for women. Mr. K.K. Ravindran, Chairperson of the ICA-AP Credit and Banking Committee emphasized that investing in women is vital for achieving sustainable economic growth and social equity.

Asia-Pacific Women CEOs in Cooperatives Summit: ‘Empowering Leadership: Navigating the Future of Cooperatives with Women at the Helm’

The Asia-Pacific Women CEOs in Cooperatives Summit, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from 29 to 31 July 2024, focused on empowering women’s leadership in cooperatives. Hosted by the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA), the summit was themed "Empowering Leadership: Shaping the Future of Women-Led Cooperatives" and brought together nearly 100 delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region.

The event was inaugurated by prominent leaders, including the Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central External Relations Commission, Mr. Le Hoai Trung, Country Director of ILO Country Office for Vietnam, Ms. Ingrid Christensen, Executive Director of Cooperative News, Ms. Rebecca Harvey (as keynote speaker), ICA-AP President Dr. Chandrapal Singh Yadav, VCA President Mrs. Cao Xuan Thu Van, and Ms. Chitose Arai.

Mrs. Van highlighted the strong presence of women in Vietnam’s cooperative sector, with 10% of women managing agricultural cooperatives and 39% participating in the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program. She praised government initiatives supporting women in cooperative leadership. Secretary Mr. Trung hoped that the Summit would enhance experience sharing among countries to raise community and leadership awareness about women’s contributions to the sustainable development of cooperatives.

Ms. Arai emphasized fostering a strong network of women cooperative leaders across the region. She underscored the importance of women’s leadership, especially in addressing climate change and socio-economic challenges. Ms. Christensen stressed the need for solutions that enhance women’s access to markets, skills development, and technology adoption to support their leadership in cooperatives. Dr. Yadav called for societal attitude shifts to break gender stereotypes, while Ms. Harvey encouraged women to set goals, support one another, and confidently embrace leadership roles.

Thematic Sessions and Discussions

Over two days, 60 women CEOs and leaders engaged in sessions on:

• Mentorship and Leadership Development: Speakers from India, the Philippines, and the Netherlands shared insights on overcoming socio-economic and environmental challenges.
• Advocacy for Gender-Inclusive Policies: Leaders from Nepal, Japan, and Vietnam presented successful approaches to promoting women’s welfare through cooperative laws and initiatives.
• Personal Development and Work-Life Balance: Leaders emphasized stress management, self-care, and maintaining balance while handling leadership roles.
• Mentorship and Future Leadership: Experts highlighted mentorship’s role in fostering confident women leaders and expanding cooperative influence.

Learning Visit and Closing

Participants visited Hong Van Cooperative, an agro-tourism and green agriculture success story in Hanoi. The cooperative has transformed its community into a thriving tourist hub, welcoming over 80,000 visitors annually.

The summit concluded by reinforcing the need for continuous investment in women’s leadership to ensure sustainable cooperative growth. With a strong focus on mentorship, skill development, and inclusive policies, the summit set a positive trajectory for empowering women leaders in the cooperative sector.

Online Lecture on Emotional Wellness for Women Cooperators

The ICA-AP Committee on Women organized an online lecture on Emotional Wellness for Women Cooperators on 6 September 2024, in collaboration with Sleepwell Foundation India. It was attended by 27 participants from India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, and the Philippines.

The lecture focused on stress and anger management as key sub-themes and was conducted by two mental health counsellors Mrs. Neelam Agarwal and Mrs. Parul Khanna Parashar. The experts focused on understanding how stress reflects in the human body and impacts it followed by discussing the common myths about anger. The counsellors performed a short role-play to explain various types of anger and discussed strategies to manage stress and anger. The counsellors highlighted that while stress and anger affect everyone, it affects women differently. Due to the gendered nature of society, women’s symptoms of stress often go unnoticed or are ignored by women themselves. This gets amplified when women are in leadership positions and their capability to handle stress at work is compared to men. Similarly, it is not easy for women leaders to show or express their anger at work as it is seen in a negative light and is not encouraged. This was the first time that the Committee organized a session on emotional wellness and mental health. The lecture was well received by Committee members, and they requested more such sessions in the future.

ToT on Climate Change and Action for Women Cooperators

The ICA-AP Women’s Committee organized the first ToT on Climate Change and Action for Women Cooperators in Thimphu, Bhutan from 21 to 24 October 2024. It was hosted by ICA member - Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) and was conducted in partnership with the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO, the Philippines).

The Women’s Committee, with support from JCCU, initiated this ToT program in 2022 as part of ICA-AP’s ongoing efforts to empower women in cooperatives to lead climate action and developed a training manual as a tool for the ToT. In 2023, the manual and training methodology were tested in Vietnam, following which, the feedback and suggestions were incorporated into the manual as well as the methodology. Bhutan was chosen for the first ToT due to its high level of environmental awareness, though it faces serious challenges from climate change.

The ToT was attended by 25 women representing government agencies, cooperatives, and the private sector from across Bhutan. Two resource persons from NATCCO - Ms. Daisybelle M Cabal (Chief Operating Officer) and Ms. Lasalette M Gumban (Head, Advocacy Unit) delivered the training. It focused on the following:

• Understanding the link between climate change and cooperative action
• Promoting environmental sustainability
• Building leadership capacity among women
• Practical action planning

The training emphasized the connection between climate change and cooperative work, especially in agriculture, and focused on building women’s leadership in environmental projects. Participants were encouraged to develop action plans to address climate issues in their regions.

The initiatives highlighted here showcase ICA-AP’s strong commitment to empowering youth and women through cooperative development. By fostering environmental awareness and action, leadership capacity building, and financial inclusion of youth and women, these efforts have paved the way for more inclusive and resilient cooperative movement in the region.

To cite this part

ICA-AP, « Empowering Youth & Women in Cooperatives », in ICA-AP Annual Activity Report 2024, New Delhi, 2024, online .