Cooperatives in Post-Covid-19 Development: Challenges, Opportunities and Partnerships

News | 18 May 2020
Speakers
ILO COOP Manager Simel Esim participated as a speaker in a webinar organized by Youth Deal Cooperative in Turkey. The webinar titled “Cooperatives in Post-Covid-19 Development Challenges, Opportunities and Partnerships” focused on the role of cooperatives in the aftermath to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Held in Turkish on May 13, 2020, with the participation of hundred viewers, in addition to Ms. Esim the speakers to the webinar included Mustafa Murat Özçelebi from the European Union Project Implementation Department in Turkey, Özen Pulat Canpolat from the Sabancı Foundation, and Mustafa İşlek from the Humanitarian Aid Association.

During the webinar, Youth Deal Cooperative has also launched an online helpdesk, education and training tool, KoopDestek, that provides answers to questions on cooperatives, aligned with the fifth cooperative principle on the provision of education and training. More specifically Cooperative Principle 5 stipulates that:
 
Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public—particularly young people and opinion leaders—about the nature and benefits of cooperation.

Ms Esim shared examples of the activities of the cooperatives in the pandemic period. She touched upon state policies and what measures are needed in the medium and long term. She referred to the related article on ILO COOP webpage for more indepth information on COVID-19 response from cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy organizations. She concluded her words by noting that it is the centenary of the Cooperatives Unit at the ILO. She noted that she has all the confidence that with their values and principles cooperatives and wider social and solidarity economy organizations can guide the transition toward not only a new normal but a better normal with a better economy.
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