The International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP) and the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA), with the ICA-AP Women’s Committee, launched the Asia-Pacific Women CEOs in Cooperatives Summit in Hanoi on Monday.
The event, part of the ICA-AP Regional Board Meeting, focused on women’s roles in economic development and was marked by key discussions on empowering female leadership within cooperatives.
Talking to Indian Cooperative, Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, the President of ICA AP, stated that the engagement of women and youth in cooperatives has been a cherished goal of the global cooperative movement. “We at ICA AP are pleased to provide a platform for Women CEOs to share their experiences,” he said.
Dr. Yadav added that the outcome of the discussions would serve as a template that could be used in several countries across the Asia-Pacific region. He expressed confidence in the success of the three-day engagements in Hanoi.
The summit, themed “Empowering Leadership: Navigating the Future of Cooperatives with Women at the Helm,” serves as a platform for women leaders to share experiences and best practices, contributing to the growth of the cooperative movement both regionally and globally.
The event also spotlighted the strategic importance of the ICA-AP’s 2025-2030 plan, coinciding with the International Year of Cooperatives in 2025. The VCA pledged continued support for the ICA-AP’s initiatives, advocating for increased efficiency and cooperation among member states.
VCA Chairwoman Cao Xuan Thu Van highlighted the alliance’s commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women in economic development. She emphasized that women-led cooperatives play a crucial role in creating jobs and generating income.
Le Hoai Trung, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee, underscored the significance of cooperatives in Vietnam’s socio-economic landscape, urging the VCA to work closely with relevant agencies to boost women’s leadership roles in the sector.
The core objectives of the summit include enhancing the knowledge of women CEOs and executive leaders in cooperatives, providing a space for dialogue on common issues and challenges, facilitating connections and networks across countries and sectors/industries, and building the capacity of women leaders for a brighter and sustainable future.
The summit follows up on the 2018 regional workshop themed “Re-imagine and Re-shape: Advancing Women CEOs in Co-operatives,” which was a collaborative effort by ICA-AP, ICA-AP Committee on Women, and the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC).
The summit is to l feature several thematic sessions, including mentorship and leadership development, personal development and work-life balance, building resilience and adaptability in a changing world, fostering inclusivity and social responsibility, and purpose-driven leadership training.
These sessions are focussing on skills in mentoring, developing future leaders, self-care, stress management, achieving a healthy work-life balance, addressing global challenges like economic volatility and climate change, promoting inclusivity, social justice, community welfare, and enhancing communication skills tailored for women in leadership roles within cooperatives.