Fair trade

The federal state of Hesse is self-conscious of the challenges of globalization. The federal state government (Landesregierung) supports the numerous actors of the civil society in their international relations and helps whenever its intervention as facilitator is necessary in order to provide access for private measures and programs.

Through development cooperation, Hesse contributes to the promotion of trade and economic development as well as to ensuring the protection of human rights and the promotion of peace and understanding among nations. This way, Hesse contributes to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Economic development is a necessary condition in order to eliminate poverty. Strengthening the private sector helps enabling economic growth, employment, leads to employee qualification and generates income. Hence, Hesse’s development cooperation concentrates on projects aiming at economic growth and the integration of its partners into the global market. This represents also a means of improving the conditions in developing countries for foreign private investments. To achieve these purposes the government of Hesse works close together with associations and organizations active in the field of development cooperation, notably with the Network for Development Policy in Hesse (Entwicklungspolitisches Netzwerk Hessen) and with local actors of the economy.

Hesse supports above all educational projects as well as projects facilitating the transfer of know-how and the strengthening of market-oriented economies – from self-help projects to qualification projects in international marketing.

These measures also include the promotion of Fair Trade. On the one hand, Fair Trade is a means of supporting producers in developing countries; on the other hand, it provides opportunities for action to citizens who, in their role as consumers, wish to contribute to a fair shaping of globalisation.

The federal state of Hesse supports development education and information, on globalisation issues and education for sustainable development, following the motto „shared responsibility in thinking and acting“. This enhances the understanding of global inter-dependencies and encourages cooperation with partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

For the past twenty years, Vamos e.V. has been fighting for humane living and working conditions all over the world. In cooperation with partners in the South with whom we have a North-South-tandem cooperation, we distribute pamphlets, organize travelling exhibitions, as well as cultural and informational events about creating a more just North-South relationship. Our main topics are: the Millennium Development Goals and how to achieve them, working conditions in the international sporting goods industry and the cut flower industry of so-called third world countries, protection of the rainforest and of the rights of the indigenous peoples.

We are an association of 54 Munich-based initiatives, groups, organizations and about a dozen private individuals who are active in the area of development policy. The objective of our association is to bring the important concerns of the countries of the South, which are the developing countries, to the North in order to initiate changes on both sides in favor of a common future. Therefore, as a North-South Forum, we do lobbying at a regional level and beyond.

We are particularly active in educational and public relations work. We organize seminars, information events, symposia, plays, exhibitions, campaigns etc. and we compile didactic accompanying and background material. We also collaborate with other initiatives, social groups, and institutions in order to emphasize our common interests. Moreover, it is important to us to provide a platform to people of the South to ensure and expand the intercultural dialogue.

Apart from their work in their respective (independent) groups, many of our members are also active in the open work groups of the North South Forum; e.g. in the One World Education work group (global learning and issues of the North-South work in schools, children and youth institutions; development of materials). This work group played a leading role in the foundation of the regional work group entitled 'School and One World' as well as the Global Learning Forum in which our work group and the North-South Forum actively participate.

The BEI was established in 1994 as an umbrella association for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to set the stage for more coordinated and co-operative development projects. The BEI's main objective is to create a network and provide assistance for the development projects of its 65 associated member organizations. These organizations focus on different aspects of development policy-related work and have different political approaches to achieve solidarity in our "One World." Their main objectives include:

• to promote education on development policy, public relations and intercultural communication in Schleswig-Holstein
• to support the Human Rights Movement and the Emancipation Movement in developing countries
• to co-operate in development projects with partner organizations in developing countries - to promote Fair Trade
• to support the Agenda 21 goals
• to provide information about the countries of origin of immigrants and refugees, reasons for migration and refugee flows, and racism
• to promote environment and climate protection

The BEI aims to establish a network for these different One World projects, which are carried out by full time and voluntary workers. The association wants to provide support and training for the involved partners, and aims to represent their and its own development policy concerns in terms of political and administrative issues. The BEI's work is based on the concept of Sustainable Development, which combines ecological, economic and social issues. This concept makes changes necessary both in the North and in the South. In this context ecological issues are as important as the development concepts, because they are mutually dependent.

In different projects and events the BEI functions as a facilitator of co-operation among its associated member organizations, other local development networks or initiatives, and organizations concerned with different aspects of development policy-related work. In Germany the BEI is co-operating on a federal level with the Platform of the German One World Regional Networks (agl) and the Association of German Development NGOs (VENRO).