As part of its continuing advocacy to promote transformative leadership (TL) in co-ops, AWCF has developed this manual containing the framework, processes, and instruments for assessing the co-op's adoption of TL. This manual will help co-ops and co-operators gauge how transformative they are, and what actions, if needed, can still be done so as to be development-oriented, issue-focused, and gender-sensitive (DO-IF-GS), as the tenets of TL go. The instruments to be used during the assessment proper are provided in a CD-ROM that comes with the manual.

In 2003 in Thailand, AWCF convened this Regional Conference that brought together resource speakers and participants actively involved in women empowerment, co-op development, co-op leadership, and other development issues that affect society in Asia. The Conference examined the features, tenets, and concepts of TL that AWCF had long been advocating in co-ops; discussed the mechanisms that would transform co-ops and other organizations into being DO-IF-GS; and shared best practices of individuals, organizations, enterprises, and communities in achieving a transformative form of leadership, a transformed organization, and a transformed society. The book summarizes the presentations and workshop results of Conference. A CD-ROM attached to the book presents in whole the different presentations made.

This book tells inspiring stories of how entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial development are possible for co-ops and their members, especially the women, and how both co-ops and members benefit from being entrepreneurs. Experiences with different co-ops and also discussions at various conferences in different levels reveal that women are taking the lead as local entrepreneurs, creating opportunities for more jobs, better income, and greater services. This book shows how the development and support of co-ops for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is a tool to reduce poverty. In the long term, greater partnership between women and men in enterprises through co-ops will hopefully develop, and eventually involve the whole family, thus bringing in not just bigger profits but more equitable and better relationships.

This is the report of the Regional Forum held March 12-14, 2001 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Forum gathered an array of presenters who shared valuable lessons and experiences as speakers and participants alike examined the state of economic empowerment of women and gender equality in Asia; looked into gender mainstreaming processes in economic development and planning and in co-op laws; and analyzed best practices of regional, national, and community-based institutions to empower women through services like financial, appropriate technology, capacity-building, business management, marketing and trading, and networking and advocacy.

Co-published by AWCF and the Credit Union Promotion Club (CUPC) of Malaysia, this manual brings to fore the realities and situation of credit unions in Malaysia as it compiles CUPC's learning and experiences in conducting gender-sensitivity training (GST) from the grassroots or local and chapter levels up to the national level. The trainer will find in the sessions many opportunities to let women and men participants closely interact with one another as they come build together their understanding of the gender situation that affects their relations with one another as well as with their co-ops.

This book is about this Regional Conference held March 6-8, 2000 at Bangkok, Thailand. The event was an opportunity to examine closely the gender impact of economic globalization and its implications on the co-op movement as well as on the family and on the community. The book presents papers that dwell on: what, why and how of globalization and gender impact; mechanisms to achieve gender equity in the era of globalization, their implications to co-ops, and best practices; and, visioning of co-operatives in the new millennium.

This monograph presents and describes the mutually benefiting and synergistic dynamics between women, co-operatives, and the community. Specific examples show how women's involvement in co-ops benefits the co-ops themselves and the communities at large, and how women, in return, benefit from their co-op involvement. The reader will also find other relevant information on areas like women as co-op members, leaders, and decision-makers; co-ops' responses to women's specific needs; and co-ops' partnerships with other groups to meet women's needs.

This monograph amplifies the issue of women being hardly in leadership and decision-making in co-ops despite the fact that they compose half of co-op membership worldwide. A situationer and a rundown of the factors that bar women from leadership and are given in the monograph. These are followed by strategies, particularly those from the "Platform of Action" put together by the "Women in Decision-Making" regional conference of AWCF in 1997, so that co-operatives can give equal opportunities to women and men as leaders. The inclusion of stories of three women who were able to demonstrate what difference women co-op leaders can do further makes the monograph interesting and inspiring to read.

This trainer's manual is fully illustrated, and gives simple and direct explanation of the ideas contained in the "Platform of Action" from the 1997 Regional Conference on "Women in Decision-Making in Co-operatives," held in Tagaytay, Philippines. The material is meant to help the trainer reach out to and make the ideas understood by co-ops, self-help groups, people's organizations and NGOs at the grassroots level who do not have representation at the national level and may not be aware of and may not have access to the Platform.

This handbook provides co-operatives with practical steps and strategies on how to respond to gender issues and women's particular needs in their respective organizations. The specific actions undertaken by co-ops in the Philippines serve as concrete examples of effective women-friendly strategies.

This presents the proceedings of this Regional Conference held May 7-9, 1997 in Tagaytay City, Philippines. It contains 18 papers on the following topics: a) status of women's participation in leadership and decision-making in society and in co-ops in the global, regional, and local contexts; b) a comparative analysis of women's and men's styles of leading; c) women's and men's perspectives on women's marginalization in leadership and decision-making; and d) practical steps and strategies to increase women's participation in leadership and decision-making in co-operatives.

This document in book form articulates the statement of concern and a call to action from co-operative leaders and staff on the issue of women's marginalization in leadership and decision-making in co-ops. The document enumerates the different actions that sectors such as the government, non-government groups, and co-op organizations at international, regional, national and local/primary levels must undertake to enhance women's participation in leadership and decision-making in co-operatives. The document was an output of the AWCF regional conference "Women in Decision-Making in Co-operatives" in 1997.

This 181-page book of cases details the experiences of seven primary co-operatives, one women's self-help group, and an NGO of women co-operators in the Philippines. It reveals the fascinating world of women in co-ops with their tales of pain and isolation, awareness and personal awakening; and brings to the fore the results that can be expected when women and men work together as equal partners. It showcases co-ops that succeeded in changing their policies and practices to become women-friendly and gender-responsive.

This book contains the proceedings of this Regional Conference held April 25-28, 1995, Bangkok, Thailand. Four showcases of gender-responsive co-operatives from Japan, Malaysia, Philippines and Sri Lanka were presented in the Conference.