ILO delivers training on care cooperatives at ITCILO course

The course aimed to equip ILO constituents with the knowledge and tools needed to advocate for and implement transformative care policies, particularly in early childhood care and education (ECCE) services.

The training session on care cooperatives, delivered by Mr. Rayann Koudaih, Specialist on Cooperatives and Social and Solidarity Economy Development, follows the adoption of the ILO of a Resolution on Decent Work and the Care Economy which refers to “cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy (SSE) entities [which] play a role in providing quality care, investment in sustainable and modern care infrastructure, and providing training and employment opportunities”. Additionally, the ILC Resolution on Decent Work and the Social and Solidarity Economy adopted in 2022, mentions to the need to “develop an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach to the promotion of the SSE, including with respect to groups in situations of vulnerability, recognizing the value of care and unpaid work”.

Within the framework of both resolutions, cooperatives were presented as a transformative model that enhances care services, improves working conditions for care workers, and promotes gender equality. Cooperatives are driven by principles such as democratic governance and concern for the community, significantly contributing to the empowerment of care workers and addressing various needs including childcare, elderly care, and care for people with disabilities. Based on  the Global Mapping of the Provision of Care through Cooperatives led by the ILO’s Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Branch and the Cooperative, Social, and Solidarity Economy (SSE) Unit, Mr Koudaih highlighted the diverse needs that care cooperatives address and their adaptability in different contexts, including economic austerity and demographic changes. Empirical evidence shows that cooperatives provide a distinctive approach to care, offering higher quality services, improved working conditions and access to more affordable services. They are social businesses that create job opportunities, organise informal care, and improve wages and benefits.

As part of the Global Initiative on “Cooperative Care Provision as a Gender-Transformative Decent Work Solution” Mr Koudaih shared ILO’s experience in conducting care cooperative assessments in Zimbabwe, Colombia, the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and Lebanon. These countries face common challenges such as high levels of informality and unemployment, low-quality care services, poor working conditions, and gender inequality among care workers. Findings indicate the need for supportive legislative frameworks, capacity development for care workers, cooperatives, and support institutions, and societal shifts in perceptions of cooperatives' economic potential. 

As a way forward, the session underscored the roles of various stakeholders in supporting care cooperatives. The cooperative movement is crucial for knowledge and resource sharing, peer mentoring, and reducing financial burdens through cross-cooperative collaboration. Care sector providers need to raise awareness and integrate cooperative models among care professionals and the public. Governments play a vital role by enacting supportive legislation, providing funding, and incorporating cooperatives into national social protection schemes. International organizations and partners contribute by offering access to knowledge, resources, and funding.

Following the care cooperative assessments, the ILO will pilot test the implementation of newly developed training tools, Think.CareCoop and Start.CareCoop, which provide accessible resources for those interested in creating or joining care cooperatives.