Author: Eugenia González.
Do you know the Sufi tale of the two dogs? A man had two dogs: the good dog and the bad dog. And he discovered one thing: if he only fed the good dog, the bad dog became weaker. In other words, every day there is a choice between feeding one dog or the other.
Here I tell you how I realised that, with my consumption habits, I was feeding the bad dog. And also what I did to contribute to gender equality with my purchasing decisions and start feeding the good dog.
The land could not be in my name
When I first became interested in FT I was particularly struck by one fact: in many parts of the world, women cannot have land in their own name. I will say it again, because it was hard for me to grasp the enormity of this fact: there are many women who will never be able to have land in their own name. Even if it belongs to them, even if it belongs to their family, even if they work it... Moreover, even if a man wanted to give it to them or sell it to them, he couldn't either. In some parts of the world, land always belongs to a man. I try to imagine this situation.
I, who have gone to university, own a business, can vote and can choose which method of contraception I want to use, find it hard to imagine the implications of living in a part of the world where even the land I work on can never be in my name. And you, can you imagine it?
- Today, 8 men have the same wealth as the poorest half of the world's population, 36,002 million people.
- One third of people living in poverty have a job and receive a wage. The data do not count all women who work at home, without receiving a wage.
- Women earn, on average, 24% less than men
United Nations Development Programme Data
Do you know that Fair Trade promotes gender equality?
For a product to be Fairtrade certified, it must meet 10 criteria. And one of them is that gender equality is promoted in its cultivation, processing and marketing. And that is no small thing, but something truly extraordinary. That is why supporting Fair Trade with my purchasing decisions seems to me to be the easiest, most effective and - why not say it - most comfortable form of activism.
When a product is Fair Trade, the women who have participated in the creation of the product:
- They receive equal pay with men.
- They work in environments where they will not feel threatened.
- They have conditions that protect their health (especially during pregnancy).
- Their voice is heard: they are an active part of the cooperative, they have a voice and a vote, they have access to management positions.
Which Fair Trade products promote gender equality?
Therein lies the beauty and power of Fair Trade. ALL Fair Trade products contribute to change. All of them.
Does Fair Trade propose you to change all your consumption habits?
No, Fair Trade suggests that you look for ethical and sustainable alternatives to commonly consumed products. The most typical ones are coffee, cocoa and sugar, but there are many more (cereals, clothes, jewellery... even mobile phones).
Fair Trade is a tool you can use to promote change and achieve gender equality.
Look: every day I consume. For example, every day I get up and I drink my coffee and I put sugar in it. So Fairtrade works with that reality: I consume, I will consume. In that case, I choose that when I buy coffee or sugar, my money goes to a place that promotes equality between men and women.
Shall we take action? Here are some ideas:
- Are you more of a coffee or tea drinker or do you prefer herbal teas like rooibos? In the AlterNativa3 shop you have dozens of options to find a Fair Trade alternative to your favourite drink.
- And in the office, what coffee do you drink? AlterNativa3 has an office coffee system that offers organic and Fair Trade coffee. Switching to Fair Trade coffee is a powerful action within your company's Corporate Social Responsibility plan. Besides, it's good coffee... and everyone likes that!
- Birthday coming up, a present to give, Christmas soon? In Spain there are more than 100 neighbourhood shops dedicated to Fair Trade. You're sure to find the perfect gift there.
And if you're short on time or don't feel like going shopping, you'll find plenty of options on the AlterNativa3 website:
- Coffee, cocoa, panela and lots of delicacies (all organic).
- Super cute Zero Waste items
- Gift sets with tasty eco-products
- Bamboo baby tableware...
ALL products on the AlterNativa3 website carry the Fair Trade label.
It must be clear to you: your power as a consumer is very great, and with your daily actions you can contribute to gender equality. And with your daily actions you can contribute to gender equality. Shall we feed the good dog?
Yes, show me Fair Trade products.
