Discover how cooperatives can drive inclusive and sustainable development through our new online training on cooperatives. Designed for policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders, this course explores how cooperative enterprises promote decent work, empower communities, and advance the 2030 Agenda. Learn from real-world examples, expert insights, and interactive exercises, all at your own pace. Join today and help strengthen the cooperative movement for a more equitable future.

The course is fully consistent with UN DESA’s integrated approach and directly supports the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 objectives by:
   * Promoting inclusive institutions and evidence-based policy;
   * Building skills for innovation, data use, and foresight;
   * Highlighting regional and thematic diversity;
   * Advancing social inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.

Author(s): UN DESA, Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD) 

Course Themes and Areas of Work: 
   1. Social Inclusion: Core focus throughout (emphasis on women, youth, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, refugees).
   2. Institutions: Demonstrated through cooperative governance, policy frameworks, and democratic participation.
   3. Integrated & Inclusive Approaches: Links economic, social, and environmental objectives (SDG alignment, multi-stakeholder cooperation).
   4. Means of Implementation: Highlights legal frameworks, capacity-building, and partnerships (UN, ILO, ICA, national examples).
   5. Evidence-Based Policy: Draws on ILO, UNGA resolutions, ICA data, and case studies for policy learning.

Learning objective(s):    
The course clearly enables participants to:
   1. Understand cooperative principles, values, and their role in inclusive and sustainable development.
   2. Recognize how cooperatives advance the SDGs, especially in poverty eradication, decent work, gender equality, and reduced inequalities.
   3. Analyze enabling policy, legal, and institutional frameworks supporting cooperatives and social inclusion.
   4. Apply cooperative models to promote decent work, economic resilience, and social innovation.
   5. Explore global case studies demonstrating how cooperatives empower marginalized groups, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and refugees.
 
SDG(s): All 17 SDGs are linked to cooperatives
 

Estimated Effort: Approx. 4-7 days

Level: Beginner

Language(s): English 

Certificate: Yes

Price: Free 

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