Promoting Gender Equality in Cooperatives through the Establishment of National Cooperative Gender Platforms

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the International Cooperative Alliance-Africa (ICA-Africa) hosted a Validation Workshop on the Establishment of National Cooperative Gender Platforms (NCGP) on March 28, 2025, in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop brought together cooperative leaders, gender advocates, and stakeholders to discuss and plan actionable steps towards creating a framework that will advance gender inclusivity and  equality within the cooperative movement.

The NCGP will serve as a safe and dedicated space for women to share experiences, discuss gender issues, and promote inclusivity within the cooperative movement at national and regional levels. Social inclusion is vital for the future of cooperatives, yet women, have historically been excluded from leadership and decision-making roles. The need for such a platform became clear during the ICA-Africa Gender Equality Forum in November 2024, where participants emphasized the lack of safe spaces for women in cooperatives.

As a next step, ICA-Africa, through its Gender Equality Committee, will play a central role in the establishment and operationalization of the NCGP by facilitating capacity-building programs, fostering collaboration among cooperatives, supporting national-level structures, advocacy and the development of a structured framework for engagement to ensure its success in promoting gender equality within the cooperative sector.

               This activity was co-funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the International Cooperative Alliance- Africa and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.