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Dear Friends,
In every new year, those involved in development work have the opportunity to make things even better. The combined efforts of people and organizations directed to the common good can make accomplishments possible despite challenges along the way.
In 2012, we in AWCF wish the best for our partner co-operatives and agencies. With renewed fervor, let us make each day count as we continue helping improve the lives of women and men in our communities, nations, and regions. Happy New Year!
from the Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum
In the latter part of 2011, AWCF brought together gender focal persons (GFPs) and alternate GFPs of 15 Philippine co-operatives through the event called “Co-op GFP Forum and Writing Seminar on Documentation and Reports.” The event was among the monitoring and capacity-building activities that the co-ops from the country’s Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao island groups are undertaking as participants in the “Promoting Gender Equality Among Co-operatives in the Philippines” Project of AWCF. The Project is under the “Advancing Civic Capacities for Effective and Sustainable Services to the Poor (ACCESS to the Poor)” Programme (2010-2012) in the Philippines of the Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC), with fund support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). All the co-ops’ GFPs were expected at the event held October 11-15, 2011 at the OCCI Bldg. in Ormoc City, Leyte. But the typhoon in Leyte at that time restricted participation to five Luzon-based and two Visayas-based co-ops (including the host-co-op). Thus AWCF decided, with support from SCC and also from the different co-ops’ management, to hold a similar event on November 23-26, 2011 at the NATCCO Bldg. in Quezon City, Metro Manila. GFPs from Visayas- and Mindanao-based co-ops joined the Quezon City conduct, with some GFPs from Luzon also in attendance. The AWCF Secretariat, led by Executive Director Ms Salome Ganibe and Program Coordinator Ms Angelita Valdez, facilitated the Ormoc and Quezon City events. National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) Chief Executive Officer Ms Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya, who is also an Election Committee Officer of AWCF, gave welcome remarks to the participants at the opening of the event in November.
Updates given
The GFPs are the lead persons in their co-ops’ gender equality (GE) programs, together with the co-ops’ GE role models. To start the Forum and Seminar (both in Ormoc and Quezon City), the GFPs updated one another on the progress of their co-ops’ GE activities as of September 2011, using the “AWCF-SCC Project Monitoring Matrix” and their prepared co-op presentations. The GFPs reported varying levels of their co-ops’ accomplishments with regard to GE activities. They mentioned accomplishments like the continuous GE training and seminars done; co-ops’ creation of plan and allocation of budget for GE activities; integration of gender in various co-op programs and services; and overall increased awareness of GE issues and concerns in the co-ops, among other accomplishments. They also outlined challenges that their co-ops still need to face as organizations advocating GE. Ms Ganibe and Ms Valdez reminded the GFPs that it is important to always highlight results of GE activities or efforts in their reports, especially in relation to or involving the AWCF-SCC GE Project’s objectives. They said that reporting in this manner will enable focus on the impact of the objectives’ results amid the many activities that happen in co-ops.
Writing seminar conducted
In the GE Project’s “Monitoring Forum” held June 2011 in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines, the GFPs raised the need to improve their writing and documentation skills. This felt need by the GFPs also came out in the results of the “Competency Survey” that AWCF had conducted among them this year. Developing these communication skills, the GFPs said, will help them become even better GE advocates/trainers and co-op staff. Thus to help address this need, AWCF in this latest Forum had incorporated a seminar to engage the participants on various topics of writing and on the use of different media to record, archive, and/or disseminate written or produced materials. To further guide the GFPs on applying language and writing style, they were made to go through certain exercises at the seminar and were also given feedback on their write-ups that they had submitted before the event. The giving of feedback to the GFPs on their write-ups was meant to show their strengths and areas for improvement as communicators. Ms Cecile Abis, an AWCF consultant, served as resource person for the writing seminar.
Enhancement continued on HR manuals
Also at this Forum, AWCF asked the GFPs for progress updates on the development and/or enrichment of their co-ops’ human resource (HR) manuals. For the GE Project, AWCF has been working with the 15 co-ops to review the “GE-friendliness” of their respective HR manuals. The review and enrichment of these manuals is part of the efforts of integrating GE concepts in the co-ops’ systems, policies, and procedures, thus making them gender-fair employers. Ms Merlene Flores, an AWCF consultant, facilitated the GFPs’ reporting at the Forum on the progress of their manuals. AWCF had tapped Ms Flores to visit and work in the past months with the 15 co-ops to help them in enriching their HR manuals with GE provisions. These GE provisions are geared to benefit both women and men.
Action points taken
Toward the end of the Forum and Seminar, Ms Ganibe handled the discussion among the GFPs on action points that they will carry out in their co-ops back home. Among these action points for the co-ops are: • the naming as “Co-op GE Program” all the GE activities and advocacy that the GFPs and their co-ops are doing (which would also include the development and enhancement of the GE manuals and HR manuals; formation and/or continued enrichment of the GE committees and GFPs; and allocation and implementation of the GE plan and budget) • the reinforcement of co-ops’ election guidelines and membership policy with regard to GE concerns • the continuation of training activities like GE sessions and seminars, and similar events to orient and capacitate officers and staff on the GE-strengthened HR manuals • the establishment and strengthening of advocacy and linkages for GE with the national and local government units and co-op federation at the national level • the documentation of GE success stories and good practices. A total of 28 GFPs and alternate GFPs attended the Forum and Seminar in Ormoc and Quezon City (18 females and 10 males). During the event (at both venues), the participants had time for more bonding with one another as they together visited places of interest near the venues and also shared camaraderie with group hugs, laughter, and music in the fellowship night. The participating Philippine co-ops in this AWCF-SCC GE Project are (Luzon) Abra Diocesan Teachers and Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Ligas Kilusang Bayan sa Pagpapaunlad; Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives; St. Martin of Tours Credit and Development Cooperative; and Sacred Heart Credit and Development Cooperative; (Visayas) Bosconian Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Cordova Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Dumanjug Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative; and Metro Ormoc Community Cooperative; (Mindanao) Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Panabo Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Pantukan Chess Club Cooperative; and Tagum Cooperative. More photos at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.295383820506526.72820.100001047316688&type=1&l=b8052976ac
