Resources on Cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy (SSE) and Gender equality

Gender equality

ILO’s work on cooperatives and women’s empowerment and gender equality spans across many years and includes policy, research and training activities in order to ensure women’s fuller participation in the functioning and governance of cooperatives, providing opportunities for employment and career advancement for women workers, and enabling access for women members to cooperative resources and services such as education and training, financial services, and child care.



The adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 laid the foundation for action towards gender equality in all aspects of economic, social, cultural and political life. As women’s empowerment and gender equality emerges as a goal of the sustainable development agenda, organizational and entrepreneurial models that are egalitarian and build on principles of democratic participation are needed.

ILO’s work on cooperatives and women’s empowerment and gender equality spans across many years and includes policy, research and training activities in order to ensure women’s fuller participation in the functioning and governance of cooperatives, providing opportunities for employment and career advancement for women workers, and enabling access for women members to cooperative resources and services such as education and training, financial services, and child care.