Europe: Fair flowers for human rights
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Published on Fri, 2011-05-13 07:53
Sources The partners of the European-wide campaign “fair flowers – for human rights” demand the respect of internationally acknowledged labour rights for flower workers worldwide, most of them women. One of the participants of the campaign is the Ecumenical Academy Prague (Ekumenicka Akademie Praha), focal point of Social Watch in Czech Republic. In many countries, flower workers are not allowed to join trade unions, have to work at least 12 hours a day during peak seasons, are getting poisoned by highly toxic pesticides, and are not getting paid enough to adequately feed themselves, warned members of the campaign. Their flowers are sold in European flower shops and supermarkets. Few people are aware of the conditions of workers on flower farms all over the world, who cultivate flowers for the European market. To raise consumers’, florists’ and the European Union policy makers’ awareness, the “fair flowers – for human rights” campaign has invited Irene Nyambura Kiarie (Red Lands Roses, KPAWU) and Redemta Akoth Josia (KEWWEDO), two representatives of the Kenyan civil society and Kenyan flower workers, to give their testimonies in an European tour that finished this Thursday. During the tour, the campaign collected signatures to demand that the European Union support decent labour conditions on flower farms. “We demand all European consumers, florists and policy makers to pay attention to the exploitative working conditions and dangers that workers, both male and female, are facing,” said Hindati Simpara, from FIAN Belgium. “It should be forbidden to managers to undermine freedom of association,” added Gertrud Falk, from FIAN Germany. “For many workers, insufficient wages constitute a violation of their right to feed themselves and their family,” recalled Sophie Vessel, from FIAN Austria. “They are exposed to highly toxic pesticides and do not benefit from any proper protection, which violates their right to decent working conditions,” added Alena V?žníková, from Ecumenical Academy Prague. “We demand governments and farms to respect international, labour, cultural and environmental rights,” said Clara Moeremans, from Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken. “Farms can prove their commitment by getting certified by the two labels Fairtade, and the Flower Label Program (FLP). Consumers, flower traders and public institutions should give incentives for respecting human rights and environmental protection when they buy certified flowers” added Steffi Neumann from Vamos e.V. Münster. |
