Make co-operatives a central element of UK International Development work.

Background

In the UN Year of Co-operation, the UK Government has an opportunity to make the case for co-operation in its international development work. It should make co-operation and the development of co-operatives a top priority and commit to raising its importance with world leaders.

Additional details

A quarter of humanity, 2 billion people, currently live in countries affected by conflict and the work to rebuild these areas has never been more urgent. Co-operatives have always been advocates for and builders of peace. From Rwanda to Guatemala, they offer a powerful and proven model to rebuild communities torn apart by hate, reviving local economies and giving local people a meaningful stake in their business. Where hate divides communities, co-operatives build them.