U.S. Interfaith Trade Justice Campaign
Trade Serving People; Not People Serving Trade

Mission Statement: The U.S. Interfaith Trade Justice Campaign, in partnership with religious institutions, mobilizes and facilitates an active engagement of faith communities in educational activities, policy advocacy and Fair Trade efforts, so that global trade and investment policies promote economic and social justice, human development and ecological sustainability.

The U.S. Interfaith Trade Justice Campaign is part of a larger international and ecumenical effort to engage people of faith in working for greater justice in the world trading system. Moral values arising from faith commitments compel people of faith to seek just and equitable economic relationships in all dimensions of life. In an age of economic integration and globalization, this imperative includes how nations relate to each other in their trade and investment policies and practices. The moral and spiritual principles of our religious traditions can provide practical guidance to address the profound and complicated ethical issues raised by current directions of trade and investment. To this end, the Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investment invites communities of faith to join the Campaign.

The U.S. Interfaith Trade Justice Campaign is a U.S. national partner in an emerging international trade justice campaign and part of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) “Trade for People Campaign.” The EAA, initiated by the World Council of Churches, is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The U.S. Interfaith Trade Justice Campaign addresses four major trade policy areas, advocating for:

• Trade rules that further the right to food, food security for all, sustainable agriculture and greater self-reliance in developing countries;
• Global and national trade policies and rules that guarantee access to essential services to all;
• Democratic processes of participation, transparency and accountability in trade negotiations;
• Regulation of transnational corporations to ensure that they contribute to poverty eradication, promotion of human rights and the protection of the environment.

Campaign Objectives

To mobilize and assist national, regional and local faith communities to engage actively in education and advocacy for global trade justice;

To maintain a web-based resource center featuring educational and worship materials, informational updates and action alerts on trade justice concerns;

To develop a communication network allowing people of faith and conscience to easily access the resources and participate in the activities of existing organizations working to bring more economic and social justice and ecological sustainability to global economic relationships;

To encourage advocacy on vital current policy struggles such as greater openness and democratic accountability of trade negotiations, access of impoverished countries to generic versions of essential medicines, global agricultural rules that are fair and small farmer-friendly, preservation of affordable water services, and promotion of fairly traded coffee and other products.

Campaign Organization

The Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investment is a network of Washington, DC-based offices of religious institutions. It will act as a coordinating body for the U.S. Interfaith Trade Justice Campaign. A coordinator will facilitate Campaign committees on education, advocacy and Fair Trade, moderate the web site and coordinate outreach.