The Asia-Pacific Women CEOs in Cooperatives Summit took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, from July 29 to July 31, 2024, under the theme "Empowering Leadership: Navigating the Future of Cooperatives with Women at the Helm."

The Summit was jointly organized by the Secretariat of the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP), the ICA-AP Committee on Women, and the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA). Its primary goal was to establish a platform for women CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs in the cooperative sector across the Asia-Pacific region to facilitate cross-border and cross-industry networking. The event also served as a forum for knowledge exchange, focusing on addressing shared challenges through constructive dialogue. The Summit had approximately 100 participants, including representatives from ICA-AP member cooperatives, the Government of Vietnam, and various international organizations.

From the Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU), Vice President Ms. ARAI Chitose, who also serves as the ICA-AP Regional Board Member and Chair of the ICA-AP Committee on Women, along with Ms.TAKAURA Miho, Executive Director of Co-op Hiroshima, participated in the Summit.

On the first day of the Summit, Ms. ARAI Chitose delivered a welcoming address during the opening ceremony, emphasizing the importance of learning from the experiences of other countries to enhance women's leadership within cooperatives. She further articulated her commitment to reinforcing the network of women cooperative leaders across the Asia-Pacific region through the initiatives and activities of the ICA-AP Committee on Women. On the second day, she presented a comprehensive report during the thematic session on "Self-Development and Work-Life Balance."

During the thematic session on "Fostering Inclusivity and Social Responsibility" on the second day of the summit, Ms. TAKAURA Miho, Executive Director of Co-op Hiroshima, highlighted the critical importance of fostering diversity, in order to advance women's participation. She acknowledged the numerous challenges currently faced by Japanese cooperatives but underscored the necessity of increasing the representation of women in management positions to at least 30%. This, she asserted, is essential to ensuring that women's perspectives are adequately incorporated into the decision-making processes of cooperatives.

This Summit was the second of its kind, following the first Women's CEO Summit held in Guiyang, China in 2018.