In her latest study of gender disaggregated data, Nandini Azad, eminent co-operator and vice-chairperson of the Women’s Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance-Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP), argues that “gender is more than a statistic”. Ms. Azad, who is also the president of the Indian Cooperative Network for Women (ICNW), speaks to The Hindu about the extensive study involving 28 apex cooperatives and 18 countries.
How does this study help the government/private sector in improving the lives of women?
The ₹600 sari I wear is woven by weavers in south India who are part of the ICNW’s Working Women’s Forum. Though millions of women in Asia work in agriculture, services, sectoral cooperatives and more, there is hardly any gender disaggregated data. The challenge was a lack of data on women’s participation in mixed co-operatives leading to invisibility in governance. There are only 10% women chairpersons and 18% vice-chairpersons in the cooperatives. The total board representation is around 23% in the region.
Do you see any trends or country-specific benefits and problems?
The report’s recommendations were well received at the 10th Asia Pacific Cooperative Ministers’ Conference (APCMC) held in Vietnam in April. We see it as a milestone since the APCMC accepted 50:50 ratio in women’s participation at all levels of cooperatives in the Asia and Pacific region for the first time and in the ICA-AP regional multi-stakeholder council for Sustainable Development Goals - ICA statement to achieve 50:50 ratio by 2030.
How do you plan to use this study?
The current study was also presented in Japan at a gender seminar organised by the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU), which has 37% of households subscribing to it. The study recommends gender equality committees to be set up to identify problems; mainstream gender analysis in all aspects of cooperatives; and overcome legal/cultural/structural barriers and impediments to women. Overall, the study mirrors the challenges and limitations of being the region’s women citizens, but it also highlights the strong women’s movements, government policies and laws that spur women’s participation in cooperatives. The glimmer of hope can be attributed to level of international awareness, gender networking in co-operatives and the success of new age women-only co-operatives that provide leadership space in a structurally difficult and culturally complex scenario.
