A key workshop entitled "Identifying Priority Action Areas for Cooperatives as an Important Component of the Social and Solidarity Economy" was held in Ankara, marking a significant step in advancing the role of cooperatives within the economy of Türkiye. The workshop, conducted with the leadership of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Türkiye, involved major stakeholders as a forum to discuss challenges and opportunities towards Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) development. It is based on a participatory perspective, involving lawmakers, social partners, and sector actors, specifically targeting the alignment of cooperative development with ILO guidelines and Türkiye's national strategies as part of the overall support towards the project entitled "Supporting Resilience and Social Cohesion with Decent Livelihood Opportunities."
© Gamze Orhun / ILOThe key objective was to find resource-efficient actions that can be taken to strengthen the cooperative sector, which is a leading player in decent work within most informal sector areas such as domestic work, agriculture, and waste picking, among others-all of which most refugee communities engage in.
Detailed discussions on the following were made through a wide range of plenary sessions all day long:
© Gamze Orhun / ILOSocial and Solidarity Economy (SSE) and Cooperatives:
Knowledge and Awareness
There was a special focus on awareness building and coming into mutual terms for all stakeholders regarding the role cooperatives play globally in reaching the goals of sustainable development. There was also a video message from Ms. Simel Esim, Head of the COOP/SSE Unit, Enterprises Department, ILO Headquarters, which was a call to action for greater global recognition and support for cooperatives and the Social Solidarity Economy. The ILO and the UN have played crucial roles in promoting these models as solutions to some of the world's most pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. With 2025 set to be a milestone year for cooperatives, Esim encourages continued international collaboration, improved data collection, and more inclusive policies to maximize the impact of cooperatives in achieving sustainable development goals.
© Gamze Orhun / ILOSupport for Cooperatives in Türkiye
This session discussed the current state of cooperatives in Türkiye and ways to improve their effectiveness, particularly in sectors where rates of informal employment are high. The session provided important insights into legislative needs, international trends, data management, and best practices for promoting cooperatives and empowering disadvantaged groups. Discussions also emphasized the need to integrate social cooperatives into incentive programs, establish clearer definitions, and ensure that legislation supports cooperative growth and sustainability.
Future Projections
Participants discussed future projections and outlined short- and long-term targets, which provide the basis for strategic actions that will be documented and used in ongoing and future projects. Key insights included the importance of data to convince policymakers, the challenge of informal and irregular work within cooperatives, and the recognition that social cooperatives play a unique role in addressing social inequalities. The workshop underscored the requirements for cooperative-based formalization methods to better the conditions of work and guarantee decent work for all, but in a special way for refugees. Training and support for cooperatives were a consensus on the need for targeted training modules that reflect the diverse needs of cooperatives, from rural field workers to urban cooperatives for market access.
© Gamze Orhun / ILOContinued collaboration with organizations like the ILO was emphasized, particularly in areas like data collection, policy making, capacity building for disadvantaged groups, and cooperative sustainability efforts. At the end of the workshop, an outline for the next steps was set up, supported with desk studies and a report from the ILO that will guide thematic work in the organization and with its partners.
Impact on Türkiye's Cooperative Economy
The workshop sought opportunities to calibrate the cooperative movement in Türkiye with international best practices and local needs. By bringing together key stakeholders, there was an expectation that the event would lead to tangible improvements in the SSE sector, particularly in enhancing resilience and social cohesion within communities throughout Türkiye. Its outcomes would contribute to larger international efforts in the promotion of cooperatives as a vehicle for sustainable development, in particular with a view to gearing up for the International Year of Cooperatives in 2025.
© Gamze Orhun / ILOAnd as Türkiye struggles with the issues of an economic landscape that is growing increasingly dynamic, workshops like this become ever more important in their contribution to ensuring that the role of cooperatives is at the very heart of driving sustainable development, pointing toward a tangible path for inclusive growth and decent work for all.
This workshop is financed by the United States Government.
