GENDER ISSUES IN COOPERATIVES: AN ILO - ICA PERSPECTIVE 2 Hours on Gender Issues in Cooperatives - An introductory session on gender issues for cooperative leaders

Introduction

Contents -- Objective -- Outputs/activities -- Target -- Trainer/moderator -- Equipment & facilities
Planning the session -- Duration -- Context -- Approach & method -- Topics covered in the module

This the package contains a sensitization module with accompanying transparencies and additional information material for the trainer/moderator. The package also contains a poster which can be displayed in order to promote the sensitization session and leaflets which can be distributed to participants after the session.

Participants are sensitized to gender issues and understand the need for gender integration in cooperative HRD.

• Participants examine and reflect on the traditional roles of women and men and division of labour in their community, society, cooperative sector or organization.
• Participants understand why women should participate in cooperative development as equal partners with equal opportunities and treatment.
• Participants are made aware of the need for women's increased access to cooperative training and education and access to decision-making levels.
• Participants have an understanding of the concept gender and of gender analysis and planning.

The main target group of the package is cooperative leaders and policy-makers. However, it is hoped that the package will serve as a source of inspiration and continued interest in gender issues for the users (trainers or moderators) who may not have dealt directly with gender issues prior to this training session.

The person in charge of the course should be a trainer or moderator with good knowledge of cooperatives or similar organizations.

The trainer/moderator should:

• study the contents of the module, and, if possible collect the necessary gender-related data and statistics from the relevant country or countries and cooperative sector. (A checklist to assist in the collection of relevant data is included on page 7 of the module);
• prepare the session (preferably after having identified the actual participants and assessing their exposure to gender issues, if this is possible. If not, this can be done at the beginning of the session).

The training session is estimated to last for approximately two hours.

It is envisaged that 2-hour gender-sensitization sessions can be held in connection with training seminars or workshops. Short gender sessions can also be held or as part of larger conferences or meetings for cooperative leaders and policy makers.

The module contains relevant information on gender-related issues and is meant to give ideas and inspiration to a qualified trainer to enable him/her to prepare a 2 hour introductory session on gender issues in cooperatives. Two hours is, of course, an extremely short time in which to "sensitize" cooperative leaders to gender issues, and too short for the participants to properly "digest" the newly acquired knowledge. However, the session should provide cooperative leaders and policy makers with some food for thought and this in itself can be considered a step in the right direction.

The success of the session will much depend on the trainer's/moderator's approach. Generally speaking, the more actively involved participants are in the sessions the better, since gender is a 'live concept'. Ideally therefore, if the trainer/moderator has more time, the participants should be encouraged to draw on their own real life experiences - from their homes, the community or the workplace. Participants could also be challenged to re-value the roles of women in the workplace/community, or, for instance, of everybody in the household. For the ultimate aim of gender approaches is to improve the quality of family life and life in general.

Similarly, the trainer/moderator may wish to select certain sections/topics to elaborate or concentrate on, depending on the target group. The main idea is, however, that the trainer/moderator is able to stimulate enough interest in gender issues among the group that they continue to reflect over gender issues after the session and are motivated to apply gender- sensitive approaches in their working environment.

It is suggested that the poster included in the package is used to promote the sensitization session. The poster can be displayed on a notice board or outside the meeting room.

Each of the three illustrated transparencies in this package represents one of the three regions: Africa, Asia or Latin America. The illustrations depict the same motives as on the poster and can be used by the trainer/moderator during the session when deemed appropriate. When and where to display the other text transparencies is otherwise indicated in the module, but the trainer/moderator can design the session according to his/her own use.

1. Personal perception of gender issues including gender roles and the concept of women's "double day".
2. Women's position in society in general and in cooperatives in particular. Statistics on the actual situation in the country/sector/institution concerned would be an advantage if these can be provided by the trainer or moderator. This would then clearly illustrate the relevance of the issues and the existing imbalances. A checklist is included in the package to assist the moderator in the collection of relevant gender-specific data/statistics.
3. The importance of gender integration in cooperatives and the benefits of promoting women's enhanced participation. How to involve women in cooperative development in general, and in decision-making and managerial positions in cooperatives in particular.
4. Background information for the trainer/moderator: Additional information on gender awareness, gender analysis and planning. If the trainer/moderator is not familiar with these concepts, this section will be useful for him/her. Although this section is not part of the two-hour session, the trainer/moderator may wish to include some of the information given here in the training session.

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Posted: 2 May 2001