New Report: Advancing Gender Inclusive Leadership in Cooperatives

During the international year of cooperatives, we at We Effect put speciel focus on the role of women in cooperative organisations and enterprises. To further our knowledge and ability to promote womens leadership within cooperatives, we have produced a report on inclusive leadership. The report draws from the experinses from some of the female leaders of the cooperative world and current research. Our hope is that this report will contribute to a cooperative world where more women are found in leadership roles.

“Women already have power within them. Our role is not to ‘give’ them strength but to recognise, affirm, and amplify what is already there. When women become aware of their power, they take bold action, transform their communities, and claim leadership spaces that have historically excluded them.”
— Grace Kaputula, Gender and Climate Action Lead, Zambia Alliance for Women 

Knowledge about gender inclusive leadership within the cooperative movement is underexplored. Here are some of the reports key findings contributing to enriching us in the cooperative movement and those who support us:

• Cooperatives can create a solid ground for gender inclusive leadership development, and subsequently, women’s economic autonomy, by merging cooperative principles with feminist ones.
• Support requires addressing care work and safety from gender-based violence at workplaces and communities, this by engaging households and cooperatives to facilitate changes in relations and structures.
• Women cooperative leaders are targeted by anti-gender rhetoric and backlash; providing for safe spaces and well-being, and ensuring mechanisms for accountability, are then essential measures to take.

A next step is to unpack the male engagement for gender inclusive leadership.