Marching to Put People First

Young World Vision supporters from Luton and Milton Keynes  Photo: PA

While you're egging on world leaders going to the G20 summit through an online campaign, dozens of groups worldwide are taking it to the streets to encourage these leaders to take a fresh approach to global trade by putting people first.

The 'Put People First' coalition is comprised of trade unions, environmentalists, faith groups, developmental charities and several other organizations who are demanding that the leaders at the upcoming G20 summit find a 'fair and sustainable route out of the recession' that is an alternative to the unregulated free market system that has ultimately led to the current crisis.

Fair Trade groups such as Divine, Traidcraft, Cafedirect and the Fairtrade Foundation marched alongside the Put People First coalition on March 28th in favor of trade justice and in the name of the 450 million small farmers across the planet who are feeling the devastating effects of the climate, economic and food crises plaguing the developing world. Small farmers have been hit hard by the crises, but it must be pointed out that small farmers also hold the key to tackling these crises if only world leaders would listen and lend their support. The Fairtrade Foundation's Barbara Crowther points out,

The current crisis poses many new threats to the livelihoods of the poorest people on the planet. But they also offer an unprecedented opportunity for world leaders to develop a fresh approach to the global trading system, prioritising justice and equity, including social and environmental standards, and build new trade relationships,  fit to deal with the current financial, food and climate crises we now face. A new approach to global trade must put poor people and the planet first, strengthening local and regional supply chains, and ensuring cooperation in fairer global trade at an international level.

Protests are said to continue leading to the G20 summit that is coming up on April 2nd. The people will not back down until voices are heard and (fair) trade is made a top issue of concern during the meeting. For those who want to stay in the know about the G20 summit, there is the G20Voice project, which is comprised of 50 of the world's most influencial bloggers who will be following the summit closely and lending their thoughts.