The Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum (AWCF) aims to contribute to the attainment of the “Millennium Declaration’s” ultimate goal of ending poverty, hunger, and inequality, to free “the entire human race from want,” as these goals provide a structure to ensure that the benefits of globalization are distributed equally. These goals represent the values that world governments have agreed should guide global development: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature, and shared responsibility.

AWCF is a resource center and advocacy body in Asia that has been working on gender and development (GAD) and co-operatives since 1990. Its members are national co-op organizations and non-government organizations (NGOs) that promote co-ops: Center for Agricultural Extension Volunteers (CAEV), Vietnam; Credit Union League of Thailand (CULT), Thailand; Credit Union Promotion Club (CUPC), Malaysia; Forum for Indonesian Co-operatives Movement (FORMASI Indonesia), Indonesia; and the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), Philippines. AWCF is an NGO in a Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC).

As a resource center, AWCF assists and provides services to co-op organizations and social development agencies (SDAs) in gender mainstreaming and co-op development. As an advocacy body, it promotes gender awareness and integration of gender concerns in co-ops and SDAs in the international, regional and local levels.

AWCF takes a two-pronged approach in its work:

1. To transform and enable co-ops to become vehicles for gender equality and gender equity
2.  To enable women and men in co-ops to advocate change in and through co-ops for their benefit

AWCF’s Programs are: Gender Mainstreaming, Women in Leadership and Decision-Making, Women Entrepreneurship Development, Regional Policy Advocacy, and Advocacy on Support Services for Women. AWCF’s Services are: Training, Gender Integration, Gender Impact Assessment, and Research and Documentation.

AWCF’s initiatives in mainstreaming gender in co-op organizations in Asia and empowering women through various programs and activities has enabled it to conclude that when opportunities are provided to empower women economically, this will lead to their active participation in leadership and decision-making positions. The economic empowerment of women at various levels, in different cultures and situations will bring about economic and social benefits in the family, community, and society. Some ways to economically empower women are to build their capacities based on what and where they are good at (value their assets); engage them in development work; and provide them financial resources, technical support, and opportunities to develop. Women also need to network with other women in the same situations for support and advocacy.

Through women’s involvement in MSMEs, society is compelled to recognize and value women’s efforts. Through its Entrepreneurship Development Program, AWCF has focused on working for the attainment of the MDGs on eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, promotion of gender equality and equity, and co-operation. AWCF aims at improving the lives of women economically and, at the same time, developing their self-esteem and leadership skills for increased political participation. It has identified women co-op leaders and entrepreneurs as its primary beneficiary group. AWCF works on its goals for women through co-op activities like organizing training or seminars (for women’s better access to information and knowledge, and for improved skills); setting up business development centers or BDCs (to maximize use of appropriate technology like ICT); and facilitating credit (to have access to financial services) and other services that will enhance women entrepreneurial skills while advocating the mobilization of co-op resources to support women-owned and/or women-managed enterprises.

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