Cooperatives
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Social and Solidarity Economy
Recent global economic and political instability has served to underline the shortcomings of our current development system and further confirm the necessity for an alternate or complementary development paradigm. The social and solidarity economy (SSE) is a viable solution to re-balancing economic, social and environmental objectives.
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Strengthening Social and Solidarity Economy in Asia (SSE)The scope, nature and understanding of SSE differs from country to country. In the Asia Pacific region, this knowledge base is still in its initial stages. To support its constituents in overcoming these gaps, the ILO has undertaken an initiative to strengthen national policies - policies that will enable SSE organisations to realise their transformative potential in twelve countries Asia through a 1st (2019-21) and 2nd phase (2021-23) of the project.
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ILO COOP 100 Interviews
ILO COOP 100 Interview series features past and present ILO colleagues and key partners who have closely engaged with the ILO's work on cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy (SSE). The interviews reflect on their experience and contributions in the past and shares their thoughts on the future of cooperatives and the SSE in a changing world of work.
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Cooperatives Principle 3: Participation
The cooperative principles are guidelines by which cooperatives put their values into practice. The fifth in the series of slideshows for ILO COOP 100 focuses on the third cooperative principle on Member Economic Participation. Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative.
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Cooperative Principle 7: Concern for community
The seventh in the series of slideshows highlights the seventh cooperative principle: concern for community. Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.
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Cooperatives and Women's Empowerment and 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.
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Cooperatives in Americas
As part of the ILO COOP 100 photo exhibitions, the ILO is featuring the contributions of cooperatives and the wider SSE to advancing decent work and sustainable development. The tenth in the series of slideshows highlights cooperative action in the Americas.
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Cooperatives in Asia
As part of the ILO COOP 100 photo exhibitions, the ILO is featuring the contributions of cooperatives and the wider SSE to advancing decent work and sustainable development. The ninth in the series of slideshows highlights cooperative and wider social and solidarity economy (SSE) enterprises in Asia.
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Photo competition & exhibits
ILO launched a call for photos to commemorate the centenary of its Cooperatives Unit (COOP). The selected photos are being featured through slideshows on a range of topics, and made available through the ILO website and social media.
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ILO COOP turns 100 - Cooperating for social justice since 1920
In 2020, the ILO's Cooperatives Unit celebrates its centenary. During the course of the year, there will be series of events, publications, and a photo exhibit to commemorate this anniversary. These activities will not only be looking back in history but also reflecting on the future of cooperation and the role of the ILO in contributing to it.
The ILO views cooperatives as important in improving the living and working conditions of women and men globally as well as making essential infrastructure and services available even in areas neglected by the state and investor-driven enterprises. Cooperatives have a proven record of creating and sustaining employment – they are estimated to provide at least 279 million jobs today; they contribute to promoting decent work and advancing sustainable development goals. The ILO activities are guided by the international standard on cooperatives, the ILO Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (No.193).
Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General, International Day of Cooperatives 2020
What's new
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Publication
Strengthening Social and Solidarity Economy Policy in Asia
24 January 2022
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News
An online interactive report of the 12th Edition of the 12th Academy on Social and Solidarity Economy is launched
21 January 2022
Focus on January
Spotlight interview with co-operators
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Paul Hazen, the Executive Director of the U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council
17 January 2022
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Lucas Mprechas, Founding Member and Coordinator of the Social Network for Social Solidarity and Regional Development (KAPA Network), Greece
25 November 2021
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Sung Ho Kim, International Cooperation Department, KFCC
28 October 2021
COOP Champions
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COOP Champions
Ayşe Turunç Kankal, ILO Office for Turkey in Ankara
21 October 2021
COOP Champions features ILO colleagues from around the world working on cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy enterprises. It highlights their contributions, and shares highlights of their experiences, current work, and future aspirations.
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COOP Champions
Tendy Gunawan, National Programme Officer at ILO Jakarta
26 April 2021
COOP Champions features ILO colleagues from around the world working on cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy enterprises. It highlights their contributions, and shares highlights of their experiences, current work, and future aspirations.