Senegal Launches National Cooperative Gender Platform, Marking a New Milestone for Gender Equality in African Cooperatives

Dakar, Senegal – Senegal has officially launched its National Cooperative Gender Platform (NCGP), becoming the second country in Africa to establish this national mechanism for promoting gender equality and strengthening women's leadership within the cooperative movement.

The launch took place during the Second Edition of the African Forum on the Social and Solidarity Economy (FORA'ESS Dakar 2026) and brought together government leaders, cooperative stakeholders and development partners committed to advancing inclusive and gender-responsive cooperative development.

Among the distinguished guests were Hon. Yolanda Díaz, Minister of Labour and Social Economy and Vice-President of the Government of Spain; Hon. Bassilekin III Achille, Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts of Cameroon; and Ms. Samira Daoud, Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for West Africa and Country Office for Senegal, Cabo Verde, The Gambia and Guinea.

The platform's impact is already poised to scale beyond Senegal's borders. Women leaders from across the continent, including Togo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Cabo Verde, Mali, and Chad received the National Cooperative Gender Platform framework during the event. The framework will guide these countries in establishing their own National Cooperative Gender Platforms, further expanding the initiative across the continent.

The launch also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICA-Africa and the Fonds de Développement et de Solidarité Municipal (FODEM). The partnership will strengthen collaboration in advancing gender-responsive cooperative development and support the implementation of the National Cooperative Gender Platform in Senegal.

The National Cooperative Gender Platform provides a collaborative mechanism for strengthening women's participation and leadership in cooperatives while promoting gender-responsive policies and practices that foster inclusive and sustainable cooperative development.

Senegal's launch represents another important milestone in ICA-Africa's efforts to advance gender equality within the cooperative movement. As more countries prepare to establish their own National Cooperative Gender Platforms, the initiative is expected to continue expanding across Africa, creating greater opportunities for women to lead, participate and contribute to the growth of inclusive and resilient cooperatives.

Watch highlights from the launch ceremony

National Cooperative Gender Platform framework FN

 ^{This activity was co-funded by the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the International Co-operative Alliance – Africa and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.}