Gender Equality A Driving Force to Development The Contribution of Women Cooperators in African Deve

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Gender Equality- A Driving Force to
DevelopmentThe Contribution of Women
Co-operators in African Development
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Outline

• Definition
• Role of co-operatives
• Gender inequality in co-operatives
• Enhancing womens contribution
• Conclusion

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Gender Equality

• Gender equality means that the different
  behaviors, aspirations and needs of women and men
  are considered, valued and favored equally.
• The focus is on equal opportunity or equal
  rights. (Equality of Law, opportunity and voice)

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Role of co-operatives in development in Africa

• Co-operatives contribute to the alleviation of
  poverty through promotion of food safety,
  security and market access. They improve the
  quality of life for all and help achieve
  sustainable development
• They promote understanding and collaboration
  among people of different cultural and income
  backgrounds.

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Role of women co-operators in development

• In Kenya, women co-operators in agriculture
  constitute about 69
• Women do the most tedious work and labor long
  hours in farms than their male counterparts. They
  provide about 80 of total agricultural labor
  force

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Role of women co-operatorscontd

• In the fishing and dairy industry women play a
  key role in marketing of fish and dairy products
• The male workforce largely dominates commercial
  agricultural realm which is considered
  prestigious and pays more

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Gender inequality in co-operatives in Africa

• Women co-operators have little access and control
  of productive resources like land
• Women lack credit facilities due to lack of
  securities e.g. Title deeds
• Women co-operators have limited access to
  services like extension and markets

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Gender inequality in co-operatives...contd

• Social- cultural barriers tend to undermine
  advancement of women in cooperatives
• Attitudes on perceived male and female
  capabilities inculcated through socialization of
  society are not conducive for women to
  participate effectively in co-operative business

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Gender inequality in co-operatives...contd

• Reproductive roles hinder womens contribution in
  the co-operative business
• HIV/AIDS has negatively affected women
  contribution as they are more vulnerable and act
  as care givers for the sick.

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Gender inequality in co-operatives...contd

• Laws and Rules - Membership in some
  co-operatives is restricted to owners of property
  who are men
• Cash crops dominated by men are given priority
  than food crops dominated by women

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Gender inequality in co-operatives...contd

• Migration of men to cities has left women with
  inadequate resources to contribute to
  co-operative development
• Low education levels for women in Africa has
  hindered their rise to decision making positions
  in co-operatives

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Enhancing womens contribution to co-operative
development

• Authentic actualization of Co-operative values
  and principles
• Establishments of gender units to spearhead
  gender mainstreaming in cooperative organizations
• Gender policies should be developed and enforced.
  (Kenya has developed a gender policy but it has
  not been enforced)

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Enhancing womens contributioncontd

• Educate young co-operators about gender issues
• Co-operatives through education and training
  should equip women with business management
  skills
• Use of Information and Communication Technologies
  should be encouraged among women
• Inclusion of women in decision making organs
  through democratic principle

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Enhancing womens contributioncontd

• Reproductive roles should be quantified
• Support should be given to co-operatives
  supporting womens liberation and empowerment
• Partnerships and exchange programs among women
  co-operators in developed and developing
  countries should be encouraged

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Conclusion

• Co-operatives-
• Should encourage women to express their needs
• Must embrace their values and principles
• Should seek for equal and equitable rights
• Should provide for self transformation through
  systematically addressing gender inequalities.

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• E.N Gicheru (Mrs.)
• Director
• Co-operative College of Kenya
• P.O Box 24814 00502
• Kenya
• Email coopcoll_at_wananchi.com
• Website www.cooperative.ac.ke