Inter-institutional campaign announced at the the Fifth International Fair Trade Banana Forum
Banana producers and companies from Colombia, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Peru, Guatemala, and Panama have signed up to a new campaign against gender-based violence. The “Silence does not protect” campaign is an initiative led by the Latin American and Caribbean Coordinating Committee of Fair Trade Small Producers and Workers (Clac), which seeks to raise awareness, prevent, and address gender-based violence and sexual harassment in production environments.
“For decades, silence has made violence in our fields and workplaces invisible. Today, a group of Fair Trade and banana sector leaders say enough. We cannot talk about development or sustainability if we tolerate fear and abuse,” said Marike de Peña, president of the Clac banana network.
“This campaign is a declaration of principles: respect, equity, and dignity are not optional; they are the foundation of any economy that aspires to be truly fair.”
The campaign aims to raise awareness, promote, and educate about the non-tolerance of gender-based violence and sexual harassment in production environments, fostering an organisational culture that defends human rights, promotes equity, and fair working conditions for all.
Emerson Aguirre, president of Colombian banana association Augura, commented: “The voice of the Latin American banana sector must be loud and clear: there is no room for harassment or violence in our workplaces. This campaign is not just a symbolic act; it is a call to action. We are committed to building spaces where our workers, especially women, can live and work with dignity”.
The parties involved said the inter-institutional alliance represents an important step in the transformation of the agri-export sector and reaffirms the commitment of the Latin American and Caribbean banana unions to act consistently with the principles of equity, inclusion, and respect that underpin a sustainable production chain.
