Chennai, 13th March 2025: In the UN year of Cooperatives the unparalleled historic saga of the Working Women’s Forum, India (WWF) and Indian Cooperative Network for Women’s (ICNW) Poor womens rise to global leadership will be highlighted by this parallel event (along with our videos on best practices).
Women in the Informal sector with multiple disabilities, low growth/investment, social/class oppression, access to productive inputs are transformed in our model. Women workers are mobilized into a mass national/international platform, trained as co-operators, trade unionists, civil society.
Dr.Nandini Azad, President welcomed in warm sisterhood greetings from the Working Women’s Forum (India) (WWF-I) – Indian Cooperative Network for Women (ICNW).
Following the song of courage of micro entrepreneurs the panel started with words from our Tamil veteran Tamil poet, freedom fighter Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathi. While struggling/fighting against the burdern of colonialism. He hailed “Acham illai Acham Illai– meaning No more fear No more fear, A new hope has begun” Our multitude of women entrepreneur warriors fighting odds in informal sector entrepreneur confirm’s a bright tomorrow leaving behind their sorrow in the title song after being part of WWF-ICNW organizations.
The historic parallel event of the United Nation’s 69th edition of the Commission Status of Women (UNCSW 69) is being held for the fifth time in the seaside city of Chennai, Tamilnadu. Earlier last month we were also privileged by the UN Commission on Social Development to award us the only online side event on Cooperatives worldwide – in the year of cooperatives the only all one of the few events globally.
We are now at the H.Q of the Working Women’s Forum and Indian Cooperative Network for Women H.Q. (3 kms from the Bay of Bengal sea).
The members participating are from 13 Cooperative branches in the four Southern States of India inspire with our story, hear and connect with all of you virtually. We would like to thank the UN Commission on Status of Women 69th edition (UNCSW69) for this event who trusted it to largely poor women workers mass organizations like the Working Women’s Forum (with 29 years UN ECOSOC Consultative Status). Having started with the idea of organizing atomized, unregulated informal sector women into this mass organization. Branches located in 4 Southern States of India i.e., Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.
Today this movements clout and its rise to global leadership is wherein in 45 years they are key players on global high tables of policy with their voices and issues heard. Be it Brussels, Japan, UN H.Q New York, Rome. WWF-ICNW stand’s represented/affiliated on most global unions/alliances of the International Cooperative Movement today through elections/nominations /membership. An extra- ordinary co incidence for the first time globally that this powerful mass women’s cooperative union is a active global player on gender and cooperative issues i.e., the poor women from the informal sector.
On the whole, our new lessons are about building financial and social resilience and succeed within given constraints without lowering poor women’s standards. Marching towards half a century (45 years).
This parallel CSW69 event is titled “Global leadership of Grassroots Women Co-operators in the UN year of Cooperatives – The Indian Cooperative Network for Women and The Working Women’s Forum (India)” is being held in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) session March 10 – 21, 2025 (New York) (120 minutes) but virally from Chennai virtually.
This event has most of the major networks/unions on cooperatives worldwide represented.
The overall program is as follows:
Poor Women’s Cooperatives as Global Drivers of Social Justice.
The panel narrative has been for the first time innovate with WWF-ICNW video snippets of member/leader case responses for understanding transformation. To demonstrate that WWF- ICNW has acted at ground level and policy action has been conducted. Videos of (1) participatory grassroots workshops (since 1980’s), (2) Now on digital literacy training, (3) excellence awards for women entrepreneurs, (4) rise to policy participation in UN G20 and other meetings, mass organisation.
- IRU i.e., the International Raiffeisen Union the worlds oldest cooperative union from Germany and DGRV, the association of German Cooperative Unions was represented by IRU’s, Secretary General, the dynamic, Mr. Andreas Kappes. In his presentation he highlights Latin America / African models of grassroots Heroines. A committed cooperative leader from Europe and globally, ICNW and I (Dr.Nandini Azad) have been represented on their global board for the first time (a first woman in 50 years) and re-elected.
We states – The Indian Cooperative Network for Women (ICNW) and the Working Women’s Forum play a vital role in advancing women’s leadership and entrepreneurship, driving gender equality and sustainable development. ICNW has long been a valued IRU member, with Dr. Nandini Azad as the first woman on the IRU board in 50 years (International Raiffeisen Union).
International Raiffeisen Union(IRU) Secretary General Mr.Andreas Kappes Says.
Followed by Members Case Studies Response
Impact and voices
Creating wealth and growth from the grassroots by poor women
A short video on the theme of the event is shown i.e., The grassroots cooperative leaders i.e., the micro entrepreneur warrior from 1980’s. An event honouring thousands of poor women that helped this and other organization/ cooperatives survive by utilizing its services with commitment were awarded as seen in 4 years with the Jaya Arunachalam awards. Women members who for 37 years as micro-entrepreneur borrowing Rs.200 to today Rs.50,000 loans. Today they have been able to avail through the various holistic services aspire, educate girls as doctors or children as engineers. Also moving to employing other women and are slowly moving from the informal into the formal sector. Women members have been honoured from South India who have employed 3 to 4 staff each.
Next the World Farmers Organisation (WFO), the largest farmer organisation in the world, Mme. Maria Giulia De Castro speaks with commitment from Italy on the role of women in Agricultural Cooperatives, ICNW & I are honoured to be the WFO Global coordinator for the cooperative policy working group.
Ms.Maria Giulia De Castro (World Farmers Organization, Rome)
She states “Women play crucial roles in society but face barriers to resources and leadership. ICNW has been a key advocate for women, engaging in UN forums, G20 discussions, and shaping global cooperative policies. Dr. Nandini Azad’s leadership in the International Raiffeisen Union has strengthened women’s roles in agriculture and economic development. ICNW’s long-standing engagement with ECOSOC for 29 years has reinforced its impact on global cooperative policies and women’s empowerment. Additionally, ICNW has played a vital role in ensuring women co-operators are represented in high-level platforms like the International Day of Cooperatives and the Commission on the Status of Women.
Next the WWF-ICNW’s participatory training for organizations women; Now Digital financial literacy video on how crisis and pandemic can be won was highlighted with the training. Women trainees response after undergoing a Training of Trainers in Digital Literacy for the WWF-ICNW.
World leaders have increasingly admired our gender and equity model; 2,50,000 active members in 4 states of South India, 262 trades. We welcome you on behalf of our 400 members that are watching. In conclusion, our short videos following this highlighted the basis of our acclaimed grassroots capacity building. Strategy of participatory grassroots mobilization training to NOW advanced digital literacy training to illiterate women, combat by women entrepreneurs of Gender violence with male youth; adolescent girls as entrepreneurs. Girls facilitated for entrepreneurship are also shown as videos. Seeing is believing.
Global Leadership of WWF- ICNW: Grassroots to policy high tables given below are WWF-ICNW Global leadership illustration.
G20 Social Summit – 2024
President- (Dr. Nandini Azad) of the Working Women’s Forum (India) and the Indian Cooperative Network for Women, delivered the civil society address at the inaugural ceremony of the G20 Social Summit on November 14, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is the first International Civil Society and cooperative representative to be given the honour.
Sharing the stage were prominent leaders, including Brazil’s Foreign Minister, First Lady Madam Jaja Lula, and officials from Brazil’s Ministry of Culture, Women, and the President’s office, alongside the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro.
Dr Azad highlighted the success stories of the Indian grassroots cooperative movement in general and that of the rise of the Working Women’s Forum and the Indian Cooperative Network for Women in particular.
International Raiffeisen Union (IRU)
“Cracking the Cooperative Ceiling: WWF-ICNW Trailblazing Leadership Journey”
- In a historic moment on September 27th, 2018, President WWF-ICNW ground breaking re-election to the International Raiffeisen Union (IRU) Board on October 6, 2023, making her the first woman to join the board in 50 years and the only woman in the world to be re-elected to this prestigious position.
- Regional Women’s Committee Chair/Regional board of the International Cooperative Alliance (largest union) elected by 18 countries (2016-2021)
- Nominated by the World Farmers Organization, (WFO) board as the Global Coordinator of the Working Group on Cooperatives.
United Nations
- WWF-ICNW President invited to UN High Level Political Dialogue panel on SDGs to the World Cooperative Day at UN Plaza, New York (2017) as only Asian representing poor women’s mass cooperatives on “poverty reduction and gender equity.
- President WWF/ICNW opened Main India Panel at the 63rd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW), N.Y in March 2019. (Organized by the PMI, New York. The link of presentation at the 63rd UNCSW, (poor women’s entrepreneurship) UN Plaza. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re-eRTMaiQw.
- Awarded 6 times UN Parallel events at UNCSW (focal point on cooperatives UNDESA, N.Y.,) and 65, 66, 67, 68th and now 69th edition of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (only global women’s cooperative continuously awarded).
Participants
Global and Grassroots cooperatives leaders, youth icons advocate WWF’s/ICNW’s women’s leadership model participants would include the International Raiffeisen Union (Oldest Cooperative Union Globally), World Farmers Organization (WFO), Cooperative leaders from Asia/ Latin America/ Africa/ Europe and so forth. Along with 450 grassroots cooperative leaders in 13 diverse locations of South India, vegetable /fruit/fish/flower/fish vendors, weavers, artisans, lace makers, incense stick rollers, intellectuals, academicians social activists, media too. Indeed, poor women co-operators setting global policy agenda – a unique cooperative moment in UNCSW history.
This panel will be followed by a long Question and Answer session that we could not have last time in Feb. 2025. Grassroots women will answer questions directly with translation.
