Trade Justice Movement

We are delighted that once again, Programme Action Officer Penny Veness has been re-elected to the board of the Trade Justice Movement  (TJM).

As the Soroptimists representative Penny, through TJM, works with other organisations to promote ‘fair trade’ and to represent the voice of women as economic producers and consumers.

“Basically economic rules aren’t working” says Penny. “The free trade deals being negotiated by Europe will destroy new world economies as local markets are flooded by cheap imports which harm the livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable. Most of these agreements affect women disproportionately, as women form 70% of the world’s poor. Such deals are destroying jobs, innovation and local industries, effectively denying access to health facilities, new technologies and education and increasing the global carbon foot print. Developing countries must be given the flexibility to use economic policies that benefit people and the environment, not big business.”

As a former SIGBI Assistant Programme Director for Social and Economic Development, Penny established a formal link with the Fairtrade Organisation and is well suited for her role on the TJM.

In 2006, she had a unique opportunity to visit Rwanda in connection with Project Independence – Women Survivors of War, where she saw at first hand the success of the micro-credit system and fair trade. Penny said “It was inspiring to see women in a war-torn country battling their way out of extreme poverty through sheer hard work and enterprise to make a safe and secure future for themselves and their families”.

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