Why trade really matters in the fight against poverty
Related links:
Aid, trade and the Millennium
Development Goals |
How can we get
trade justice? | What can I do?
 DFID
is committed to making trade work for poor people. And Trade Matters is
our guide to how trade could help the world's poorest people get out of poverty.
Our wealth is built on the breadth and choice of the markets we can sell to –
or buy from. For many people economic poverty is rooted in their inability to
trade – and trade is a vital route out of poverty.
There are a lot of ifs and buts on the way to a fairer world. But, if trade
took off for the poorest countries, and if rich nations played fair with poor
ones, by allowing them a decent foothold in Western markets, the world would
take a giant step towards ending poverty.
Trade Matters
is a 36-page booklet which explains how.
What's inside Trade Matters?
In this section, we've taken some of the best bits out of Trade Matters and put them
online, with links to more information about trade, poverty and development.
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What can I do? The sheer enormity of global
poverty can make people feel powerless. But, your
voice can make a difference in the global trade debate – as both voter
and consumer.You can write a letter to your MEP on getting Europe to make
trade fairer for the poorest countries, buy fair trade goods, or join a
campaign. It's all here.
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Trade means money
coming into your household so that you can send the children to school
or buy medicine if they are sick.
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Blooming investment
What happened when someone realised that Ethiopia's climate could be ideal for
growing roses?
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If trade is to
really benefit people in the poorest countries, it has to take place
within a global trading system
that gives everyone a fair chance.
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History shows that
protecting your own goods by handouts and taxes against competition
from imports – doesn’t work in the long run.
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Smarter farming
Instead of being priced out of the market, some farmers are improving
techniques to compete with imported produce.
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Beyond trade
Trade may be the single
most potent tool in the fight against poverty, but it won’t work in
isolation.
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Services, not just goods,
can boost developing country economies. For example, reliable banking
facilities help attract incoming investment.
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Cutting red tape
Traders in Lesotho discovered that red tape could be cut when
they switched to a new tax method.
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