CLOSING THE GENDER GAP

Since the inception of Mighty Good, we have always had gender equality, garment worker rights and organic farming and manufacturing at the heart of our ‘why’. This is one of the reasons we choose to be certified by the Fairtrade body.

This year Fairtrade are spotlighting some of the progressive actions they are taking to closing the gender gap globally.

Did you know that around 60-80 percent of the world’s food is grown by women, yet they mostly don’t own the land or see little of the profit made from it?

Fairtrade works to address this gender gap in various ways.

Under the Fairtrade Standards they require their producer organisations to include:

• No discrimination on the basis of gender or marital status
• Zero tolerance of behaviour that is sexually intimidating, abusive or exploitative
• No testing for pregnancy when recruiting workers
• Programmes to support disadvantaged and minority groups, such as women
• Developing a gender policy, over time

Fairtrade also works beyond the Standards to increase women’s role in Fairtrade producer organisations and to ensure they receive equal benefits.

• Producer networks are rolling out women’s schools of leadership, enabling women to learn business, negotiation and finance skills. Many of these women go on to take on leadership and committee positions within their cooperatives and communities.
• Many Fairtrade Premium projects directly benefit women, enabling changes to decision making and governance structures in certified producer organisations, and improving economic opportunities. For example, the Del Campo nut cooperative in Nicaragua uses their Fairtrade Premium to support women’s emerging businesses.
• Many producer organisations are undertaking gender analyses of their organizations and piloting new gender equality programmes, gender committees and policies.

Through advocacy work and collaboration with trade unions and NGOs we are pushing for gender equality and interventions to enhance women’s well-being and empowerment.

How can you support gender equality as a whole?

One of the easiest ways to support gender equality is by purchasing from brands who are certified Fairtrade.

Look for the Fairtrade logo when you shop to ensure better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in developing countries. Your choices can empower farmers to participate as equals, control their futures, and invest back into communities.

Some of our favourite brands are:

Coffee Grinders

Tea Tribes & Nations

Chocolate – Green & Blacks

Cotton – Mighty Good of course