Co-ordination of Activities of the Co-operative Movement and the Women's Organisations in South- East Asia

Abstract

The International Co-operative alliance in considering its programme in South-East Asia has felt the need for further extending its . programme on the female population. In this connection, a Seiaihar was' held in November-December 1962 at New Delhi to consider the ”Role of Co-operation in the Emancipation of Womerr”, The Seminar was attended b y ... representatives of Co-operatives, voluntary women^s organisations arid some government social welfare agencies. The purpose of the seminar was to study tke role which Co-operation could play in raising the social and economic status of women by litierating them from handicaps as they are faced with'at'present in various coteries of South-East-Asia,. , The ,changing status and, therefore, the role of women in the'countries of South-East Asia was discussed. The discussions in the Seminar indicated the need for viewing the social status of women as affecting the programme of economic development in South-East Asia. In this connection, special attention was paid to the rural economy and the position of Women as directly affecting growth. As most of the countries of South-East Asia have a predominantly rural_ population it was considered that the role of women in the socio-economic development of the East needed special attention. The discussions indicated that there was not sufficient change in the position of rural women in the recent past.