Urgent Appeal - Financial Support for Women Workers in Africa
WWW urgently need to raise £25,000 to support women workers in Africa who need immediate funding at a critical time of change.
Valentine's day is peak season and women work long hours to meet UK consumer demand. Read on to see how your donation can go towards giving women the chance to demand their rights
How money will be spent
We need to raise 25,000 to fund four partners to do basic advocacy work with key industry stakeholders including farm management and export bodies who have the ability and influence to improve working conditions for women on flower and vegetable farms.
This advocacy work is based on action research undertaken by our partners and capture information and concerns expressed by women workers during indepth interviews.
Positive meetings were held in 2007 as a result of our partners research and vital follow-up work needs to take place in order for improvements in working conditions to improve, to ensure the impact and momentum of 3 years is not lost and to ensure women workers voices are at the forfront of industry actors minds.
The picture so far
For the past 3 years we have been working with our partners to advocate for change in the flower and vegetable industry. The pressure to produce large quantities of high quality flowers and vegetables for export to Europe has had a devastating effect on workers, including:
- Extremely low pay - leaving women unable to cover basic living costs such as nutritious food, schooling for children and basic health costs.
- Job insecurity - workers are hired on a casual basis meaning they are not entitled to benefits such as sick pay or maternity leave and are often paid less, even if they have been working on the farm 'permanently' for several years
- Obstacles to freedom of association
- Poor health and safety - including exposure to pesticides leading to reports of breathing problems, skin disorders and miscarriage
- Forced and unpredictable overtime - which impacts children as well, as they are often left unattended
- Sexual harassment
What WWW and partners have achieved so far
In partnership with local women's groups and trade unions we have
- Produced research on working conditions
- Trained over 6,000 workers about their rights at work
- Developed links and started dialogue with key stakeholders who have the ability and influence to effect change for women workers
- Over 4000 horticultural workers have joined unions
At a farm level our project has meant that workers are provided with:
- Protective clothing to stop the harmful effect of pesticides
- Safe drinking water
- Toilet facilities
- Maternity leave benefits
- Childcare facilities
- Medical check ups
- Transport to and from work
Why support WWW?
- WWW is a small NGO working on women's labour rights for over 20 years
- Your support will go towards activities in Africa that will directly benefit women workers and build on work that has already started
- All advocacy activities are based on issues that women workers themselves have raised
- Bearing in mind what we've already achieved, continued work in this area is expected to reach 50,000 women
Finally, by supporting our work you will contribute towards a growing movement for ethical trade. More and more UK consumers are showing their concern for workers' rights by choosing ethical produce. Cheap food and flowers is often at the expense of the poor overseas. So as we approach Valentine's Day perhaps lets think about the real cost of the red roses we will be buying for our sweethearts and do something to contribute to women working safely, in dignity and with respect.
How to donate
Please make cheques payable to Women Working Worldwide and send them to the addresss below or call the office on 0161 247 6171.
Make your gift worth more: We can claim back 28p from every £1 you donate if you are a UK taxpayer. Download our GIFT AID FORM and send it to our address below.