Churches and church-related organisations around the world are leading events during the Global Week of Action on Trade, taking place from 10-16 April 2005. Actions are being planned in over 80 countries, involving faith groups and civil society organisations. Campaigners are challenging the myth that free trade helps to reduce poverty and are calling for changes in international trade rules to safeguard the rights of all people. Events in South Africa focus on trade issues close to home. Especially the textile industry and the agricultural sector continue to suffer severely from unjust international trade rules and increasingly experience piercing levels of job losses.
SOUTHEN AFRICAN CATHLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7 April 2005
PRETORIA
Churches campaigning for Poverty Eradication through Trade Justice
Churches and church-related organisations around the world are leading events during the Global Week of Action on Trade, taking place from 10-16 April 2005.
Actions are being planned in over 80 countries, involving faith groups and civil society organisations. Campaigners are challenging the myth that free trade helps to reduce poverty and are calling for changes in international trade rules to safeguard the rights of all people.
Events in South Africa focus on trade issues close to home. Especially the textile industry and the agricultural sector continue to suffer severely from unjust international trade rules and increasingly experience piercing levels of job losses.
In Gauteng, the Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic Transformation (ESSET), the South African Council of Churches (SACC), and the Trade Justice Desk of the Alliance for Justice and Peace in Southern Africa (AJPSA) invite to an ecumenical prayer and solidarity service. The event will take place at the Catholic Holy Trinity Church in Braamfontein on Sunday 10 April 2005 at 2:30pm.
The three organisations will use the service to launch their Just Trade Petition which appeals to leaders in the North and the South to support the creation of more just trade agreements. The petition will be circulated in the coming weeks and will be presented to G8 leaders when they gather in Scotland in July.
Desmond Lesejane, director of ESSET, said: “More and more people are losing their jobs in our local industries. We need to look more carefully at the underlying reasons for these job losses, and trade agreements play a major role there.” Freddy Mnyongani of the Alliance for Justice and Peace in Southern Africa points out: “The rich and powerful nations of the world pursue trade policies which benefit their own economies and their own people. It is time for the people of Africa to gain greater voice in the fight against poverty.”
Note for Editor:
The Global Week of Action on Trade Justice is an international campaign. For more information visit www.april2005.org
Contacts:
1. Rev Gift Moerane, Gauteng Council of Churches, 011 339 4295
2. Mr Freddy Mnyongani, Alliance for Justice and Peace, 072 413 6373
3. Mr Desmond Lesejane, Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic Transformation, 011 833 1190
Author
Anonymous (not verified)
