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Cooperatives: a proven tool for social justice
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Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities, and it has long stood alongside cooperation.
The World Day of Social Justice takes place every year on 20 February, established by the UN General Assembly in 2007 to remind us of the need to build a fairer and more equitable world and to urge all efforts to combat unemployment, social exclusion, and poverty.
On 20 February we published a Policy brief elaborated by the ICA in collaboration with the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) containing more than 10 examples of how cooperatives are the best tool for advancing social justice.
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DOWNLOAD THE POLICY BRIEF
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UN Commission for Social Development highlights cooperatives' role in driving social cohesion
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The 63rd session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD63) on 13 February focused on promoting solidarity and social cohesion through cooperatives and the social and solidarity economy (SSE). Organised by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in collaboration with the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC), the event examined the role of cooperatives in accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and some of the obstacles faced.
The International Cooperative Alliance collaborated closely with the organisers, highlighting the role of cooperatives as agents of social justice and sharing the movement’s plans to scale up its impact, particularly this year, through national committees for implementing the International Year of Cooperatives.
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Launch of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 in the Asia-Pacific Region and Japan
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On 19 February, the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) regional office marked the official launch of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 with a prestigious event at the United Nations University in Tokyo. The event, co-hosted by the ICA-AP, the IYC2025 Japan Committee, and the International Labour Organization Office for Japan, brought together 700 delegates (250 in person and 450 online), including various cooperative leaders, government representatives, cooperators, and youth participants, to celebrate and reinforce the role of cooperatives in sustainable development.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Mr Toru Yamano, Chairperson of the IYC2025 Japan Committee and President of ICA member JA-Zenchu, who thanked everyone for taking part and recognising the significance of cooperatives in fostering sustainable development and social solidarity.
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Interview: Simel Esim on the power of cooperatives to drive social justice
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Ahead of World Social Justice Day, we spoke with Simel Esim, Head of the International Labour Organization (ILO) COOP/SSE unit and Chair of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy, about cooperatives, social justice, and the connection between the two.
“Collectively, diverse forms of cooperation not only drive economic resilience, but also contribute significantly to social justice, community empowerment, and environmental sustainability,” she said.
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Social justice through cooperative healthcare
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Kampala Medical & Allied Health Workers Cooperative Society (KAMACOS) is a non-profit autonomous organisation that aims to bring together medical professionals and allied health workers for economic development and humanitarian service. It is a non-political and non-sectarian organisation open to all people regardless of race, gender, religion and political preference.
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Social justice and Black cooperative history
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Cooperation has proved to be a powerful tool for social justice - and in particular for communities subjected to racial discrimination. During this year's Black History Month, we acknowledge how people working together in the face of racism have long used cooperative action to improve each others’ lives in tangible ways.
The food cooperatives of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) in the USA are working together to manifest the shared vision of a thriving regional economy, rooted in a healthy, just, and sustainable food system, and a vibrant community of cooperative enterprise. Central to this work is addressing systemic racism and classism in all of their many forms.
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Diomcoop: sales, services and dignity
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Diomcoop was founded in Barcelona by a group of people of sub-Saharan origin who previously worked as unauthorised street vendors, to provide sustainable employment, social care and community intervention for immigrants in vulnerable situations.
The cooperative now provides logistics and cleaning services to a range of clients including private individuals, business premises and local festivals, as well as offering catering services and sharing Black African cuisine at events and markets.
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| Here are some highlights of #CoopsYear celebrations from around the world... Click on each picture to find out more - and tag @icacoops / #IYC2025 to be featured next month! |
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Social justice on screens
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Across the world, film has been used to share the stories of communities fighting social injustices through cooperation.
From miners’ strikes in Mexico and cooperative factories in Albania to weavers in India and music in Tibet, here are few of the films that tell intertwined tales of social justice and collective action.
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