Int’l Muslim Women Top Cooperatives Festival Planned

Tehran, Oct 15, IRNA – International Muslim Women Top Cooperatives Festival will be held on December 18-19, said head of chamber of Cooperatives. Addressing a news conference held in the premises of the chamber, Drioush Pakbin said that Iran needs active presence of women to materialize 25 percent share of cooperatives sector in Iranian economy. Stating that current Iranian year has been named ‘Year of National Production’ and 2012 was designated by the UN as ‘International Year of Cooperatives’, he said that Iran was forerunner in the cooperatives sector with half of its population being members. “Women have always been as one of the main pillars of economic development,” he said, noting that grounds should be prepared for their presence in various fields. Currently, there exists some 20,000 women cooperatives in the country, of which 17,500 are active, he said. Some 600 cooperatives have applied for participation in the festival and 150 cooperatives from foreign countries will take part in the event, Pakbin said./end