IYC 2025 Series: Building a Better World Together – Cooperative Contributions to SDG 5

Building a Better World Together: Cooperative Contributions to the SDGs is a policy brief series developed in support of the 2025 UN International Year of Cooperatives to showcase how cooperatives drive progress across the Sustainable Development Goals. The policy brief on SDG 5, “Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls,” published in March 2025 in honour of International Women’s Day, explores how cooperatives foster gender equality through inclusive governance, economic participation, and solidarity-based solutions. Drawing from real-world examples—from women-led producer cooperatives in Ladakh to queer and trans-inclusive initiatives in Ukraine—the brief illustrates how cooperatives challenge structural barriers, empower marginalized groups, and expand opportunities for women and girls.

Produced by the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), this brief affirms the unique role of cooperatives in advancing SDG 5 during the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives and beyond.

The policy brief is available for download in English, French and Spanish.