On 14 July, representatives of the co-operative movement convened at the United Nations in New York to celebrate the International Day of Co-operatives.
Before top officials of the UN, national governments and civil society, co-operatives demonstrated how they eradicate poverty and promote prosperity in an inclusive way.
Representing the International Co-operative Alliance was Charles Gould, director-general, who discussed the economic and social impact of the global co-operative movement and its commitment to achieving the SDGs, as demonstrated in Co-ops for 2030, a platform for co-operatives to learn about the SDGs, make pledges to help achieve them, and track their progress.
Dr Nandini Azad, president of the Indian Co-operative Network for Women and Acting Chair of the ICA Asia and Pacific Regional Committee on Gender, shared how her organisation empowers and supports poor women, through access to credit and finance, employment, education, housing and technology.
Márcio Lopes de Freitas, president of the Organization for Brazilian Co-operatives, presented the transformative power of Co-operation Day, the annual socio-environmental responsibility programme in which 1,200 Brazilian co-operatives participate. On ‘C-Day’, 86,000 co-operative members volunteer in their communities and show how human capital is the movement’s greatest strength.
Hiromi Katsumata, senior managing director of the Japan-Cooperative General Research Institute, described how co-operatives from all sectors in Japan collaborate to better serve their members and promote prosperity in their communities. He highlighted in particular the role of co-operatives in providing safe food, addressing the growing gap between rich and poor and caring for a rapidly ageing population.
The event was organised by the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC), of which the Alliance is a founding member. ‘International Day of Co-operatives: Co-operative solutions for inclusive development’ occurred during the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the central platform for the UN and Member States to follow up and review progress on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The theme of the 2017 International Day was “Co-operatives ensure no one is left behind”.
For more information, visit the COPAC website.
