The ILO and the Ministry of Equality and Equity promote care organizations in Cesar and Chocó, Colombia

Bogotá - The International Labour Organization (ILO) is driving an innovative interregional and multinational programme that utilizes the 5R Framework to promote cooperatives and other Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) entities as providers of higher quality care services in decent working conditions.

Colombia is one of the leading countries in this programme through two pilot projects financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), in the departments of Cesar and Chocó. This week, Paz Arancibia, Senior Regional Specialist in Gender and Non-Discrimination for Latin America and the Caribbean at the ILO, visited the care project in the Arhuaco indigenous community in Cesar, together with Natalia Moreno, Director of Care at the Ministry of Equality and Equity.

This project is part of the National Care System promoted by the Ministry of Equality and Equity, headed by Vice President Francia Márquez. In the second half of 2023, a national assessment and mapping of care initiatives in the territory was conducted, including 10 organizations belonging to the social and solidarity economy from La Guajira, Cesar, Valle del Cauca and Chocó.

Following a validation process with the ILO’s tripartite constituents (workers’ and employers’ organizations and the national government), two pilot organizations were selected: the JOSA Women Peacebuilders association, focused on care in the Arhuaco indigenous community in Cesar, and ASOREDIPAR Chocó, dedicated to midwifery in that department.

Over the next four months, both organizations will receive training in the Think.CareCOOP and Start.CareCOOP methodologies, designed to strengthen solidarity economy care providers. The aim is to improve their infrastructure and services, as well as to develop productive projects that promote decent work among their women and men members.

The visit specifically took place during the first training session on the methodologies with the JOSA Women Peacebuilders association, whose community care initiative is being strengthened through the creation of a care centre for boys and girls, and whose productive project of weaving and selling mochilas under fair trade conditions is being enhanced.

After defining the strengthening plans, seed capital will be provided to the organizations to implement them and establish revolving funds. Finally, the experience will be systematized, and the methodology will be refined with lessons learned.

“The initiative aims to position cooperatives and solidarity entities as innovative solutions in the care sector, particularly in the care provided across the vast Colombian territory, contributing to decent work and gender transformation in this crucial activity for sustainable development,” stated Carolina Pava, the project coordinator in Colombia.