Just in time for International Women’s Day today, Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) explains how the initiative promotes the rights and independence of women. For example, gender equality is firmly anchored in the CmiA standard of the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF). For example, it stipulates that women and men must receive equal pay for equal work and equal access to resources and means of production. Aspects such as maternity protection must also be safeguarded.
“It is important to raise awareness of the need for gender equality and the resulting benefits for everyone,” comments Tina Stridde, Executive Director of the Aid by Trade Foundation, in a press release. It has been empirically proven that women are just as productive as men with equal access to land and resources, but also invest in the education and health of their children, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Financial independence through various earning opportunities
CmiA therefore supports the economic and social independence of women and girls with partners as part of the CmiA Community Cooperation Program (CCCP) through numerous projects, for example women farmers through start-up financing for income-generating activities – be it growing vegetables or raising livestock, building Village shops or food processing. Through these projects, CmiA has already been able to support 90 women’s clubs and enable around 2,300 women to take the step towards economic and social independence.
“Women are the linchpin of hundreds of thousands of smallholder farms and households in sub-Saharan Africa and play a critical role in sustainable cotton cultivation. But they are often disadvantaged by discriminatory structures and social reservations,” says the press release.
“We promote sustainable cotton production from a social, economic and ecological perspective. And this also includes combating the structural disadvantage faced by women. For us, there is no sustainable cotton without equality,” adds Stridde.
Projects in Benin and Tanzania
Cotton made in Africa is currently supporting women in Benin in the sustainable cultivation of organic shea butter, together with the local implementation partner for CmiA Organic, the Benin Organization for the Promotion of Organic Agriculture (OBEPAB). 130 CmiA Organic cotton farmers are already taking up the offer to be trained in cultivation, processing and marketing in order to generate additional income in addition to the income from cotton sales. They now sell their products successfully in two stores – including in Benin’s largest city, Cotonou.
In Tanzania, East Africa, CmiA and the Tanzanian cotton company Biosustain are supporting the construction of a dormitory for girls at the school in Mtekente, so that around 80 girls can attend school in full and participate in classes without restrictions. Until now, the often long and sometimes dangerous routes prevented this from happening.
This is already the second project phase, which is supported by the fashion brands Comma and S.Oliver, both part of the S.Oliver Group, as well as local partners. “We are convinced that a sustainable future can only succeed if it is equal. “It is crucial that girls and women have equal access to education and social and economic participation,” concludes Sabrina Müller, Head of Global Sustainability at the S.Oliver Group.