“While there is poverty, there is no
real freedom” Nelson Mandela. ‘Make Poverty History’ speech. London.
2005.
What
is it?
An international system of equitable trade which ensures fair
wages and conditions for producers
in developing countries who grow or make products for international
export.
Fair Trade provides an alternative to free
trade - the dominant international trade system which is biased
towards rich countries and one of the root causes of world
poverty. Fair Trade is an important part of the Make Poverty
History campaign.
Fair Trade is a global movement to
alleviate poverty, fuelled by people power. It is about advocacy
and action – of economic freedom over economic oppression.
It is about us, and the power we have to make a difference.
We can add our voices as consumers and activists. Join the
movement to alleviate world poverty, and help make Fair Trade
grow.
IIf poor countries could raise their export
profits by 1% it would lift 128 million people out of poverty.
Some of the biggest commodities in the world market are exported
from developing countries to rich countries, most notably,
coffee and cocoa. Let’s take coffee as an example: For every
cup of specialty coffee sold for $3, coffee farmers in developing
countries receive 3 cents.
This means coffee farmers across the world are trapped in
poverty despite working full-time as producers of a commodity
in high demand worldwide. Despite working hard all their lives
and growing a high quality product, they cannot afford adequate
food, clothing, health care and education for their families.
Meanwhile a small number of multi-national companies who buy
the product off the backs of cheap labour continue to record
astronomical profits.
Buying Fair Trade coffee supports
economic justice for producers and their families, enabling
communities to rise out of poverty, bringing dignity to the
lives of farmers and their families.
Watch
the filmtrailer “BLACK
GOLD”
on Fair Trade vs Free Trade coffee and its massive impact
in developing countries:
What you can do: ‘Fair Trade and
You’
Buy Fair Trade products
World of Good: Check
out this excellent independent Fair Trade organization, Co-Founded
by Priya Hagi in San Francisco. World of Good import a range
of hand made and environmentally sustainable products from
34 developing countries in Africa, Asia China and South America,
and also fund community projects in developing countries such
as health clinics. World of Good are absolute trail blazers
in the growing international fair trade movement. Check
out their Video
Get Active! Oxfam
International is a leader in Fair Trade advocacy and campaigns
from the grass roots to international trade level, supporting
international trade justice. Oxfam also stock fair trade products,
available online and in their stores worldwide. To learn more
and check out the links for Fair Trade in Australia, New Zealand,
the U.S, Ireland, UK, Canada and Spain, go to:www.marketradefair.com
Global
Trade Watch Global Trade Watch is an
Australian grassroots group campaigning for
democratic, environmentally sustainable and fair trading systems.
