Thinking about Fairtrade immediately brings us to the idea that everything is ‘fair’. But what makes these products and the way they treat people so fair? Well, a big part of this has to do with basic human rights, which is the foundation of everything Fairtrade stands for. The two which are most known are the right to equal pay for their work and the right to have fair working conditions. But Fairtrade actually helps in many more ways than that.
Let’s start with the right to a decent standard of living, while it seems very self-explanatory it’s actually not as easy. This right still isn’t applicable (? please check if there’s a better word to use?) to a very large number of people. According to the fairtrade website, more than 1⁄4 of people living in low to middle-income countries still deal with poverty every day. The wealth of the people is far from evenly distributed, the richest keep getting richer and the poorest continue to suffer.
In Low and Middle-income countries there is often a violation of human rights surrounding trade. Trade isn’t actually bad in itself, it creates job opportunities and gives people the resources they need. They can help communities and the environment in numerous ways, but it’s not always as positive as we think.
People are often severely mistreated in their workplace, often working in the blazing sun for hours on end only to get paid a fraction of the price they deserve. This violates several rights such as the right to health and food because they simply can’t afford it with the amount they’ve been given. The agrochemicals that the workers get exposed to are also very detrimental to their health. Often the people who are most underpaid are women, which also leads to a violation of the right to non-discrimination.
This is where Fairtrade steps in. They look out for regions where this is most common because that is where they are needed the most. When a national minimum wage does not exist or isn’t considered fair, Fairtrade sets up a minimum wage for agricultural workers themselves to ensure they are treated well.
“Through standards, programs, campaigns, and minimum pricing and premiums, Fairtrade puts more control in the hands of small-scale farmers and workers.”
Their aim is to treat people with the respect they deserve, offering jobs to people regardless of gender, ethnicity, or other factors that previously impacted their chances of getting a job. They are also against child labor, which is still an issue in many countries. They also include requirements on the use of land and water, the safety and health of their workers, and the wages they receive. These are checked by a third party at all times to ensure that the producers are treated fairly.
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To read some more about what Fairtrade does and how they work, you can visit the official Fairtrade website for more information.