HOMENETSEA PARTICIPATES IN WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
ON TRANSFORMATIVE ECONOMIES

Homenet Southeast Asia had a chance to contribute to an online intercontinental convergence session with the RIPESS-QDM in the framework of the WSFTE 29 June. RIPESS is the intercontinental network for the promotion of social solidarity economy.

Topic of the session was “SSE tools and strategies with an intersectional gender perspective for a post-COVID
construction that places the human being at the center of transformative development”.

Rosalinda Pineda Ofreneo represented Homenet Philippines-SEA in the session, together with representatives from various organizations based in France, Latin America, and Cameroun, Africa.

The speakers shared specific cases and strategies already in progress based on their country and continental
contexts and put forward ideas for a collective construction of the post-covid context, always emphasizing the need to put life at the center. They also stressed the importance of linking the work and exchange of experiences approaches and tools among all countries and continents. In sum, their idea is to promote the development of SSE with a gender perspective in order to achieve a truly emancipatory transformation that will enable women’s groups to participate directly in the transformation process.

Speaking for Homenet Southeast Asia, Rosalinda Pineda Ofreneo shared the problems faced by women working in the informal economy: lack of social protection, social services. etc. which worsened under COVID-18 well as the solutions they seek. She cited the experience of small cooperatives, fair trade groups, microfinance initiatives, etc. in which women are able to practice economic democracy.

She cited the need to strengthen networking and convergence, build a multi-stakeholder approach, and create
online platforms given the limitations imposed by lockdowns and physical distancing.
Following are the proposals she forwarded: 1) Campaign for recognition, reduction, and redistribution of unpaid care work which engages men and boys; advocacy so that SSE will also provide food, laundry, and child care/elderly services that will ease the burden of unpaid care work; 2) Intensive education and training within SSE organizations on gender (from an intersectional perspective) for both women and men, so that women especially those from the grassroots can participate more actively and take up leadership positions; and 3) Regarding thesecond item, take into account the SSE Academy launched by the Asian Solidarity Economy Council (ASEC), which can contribute in this sense.

A final objective mentioned during the session was to move forward on a related intercontinental project to
develop and utilize a training guide (available in Spanish, French, and English) integrating gender concerns in SSE perspectives and practices.