Fairtrade - Network of Asia And Pacific Producers (NAPP) launched Gender Leadership School

A certified course to improve the basic skills on gender-related issues within their own environment

Bengaluru, July 10, 2019: Fairtrade - Network of Asia And Pacific Producers (NAPP) today announced the launch of it’s Gender Leadership School, a certified course to help participants from rural producer’s organizations to improve and develop basic skills in the application of human rights provisions on gender-related issues within their own environment and contribute to building the agency of Gender balanced society.

The course is about enhancing leadership of women and men with supportive supervision and learning. It builds leaders in the farming sector to scale up to the level of engage with larger buyers and associate themselves with the local government.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Sanjeet Khurana, Chief Operating Officer, NAPP said, “We are very excited to announce the launch of this school. This will help the next generation of farmers to be educated, innovative and business minded.”

Mr. Bijumon Kurian, Chairman, Fairtrade – NAPP said, “Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade and is based on a partnership between producers and consumers. When farmers sell on Fairtrade terms, it provides them with a better deal and improved terms of trade. This allows them the opportunity to improves their lives and plan for the future.”

Mr. Kuldeep Singh Chauhan – Chief Executive Officer – NAPP said, ”Gender leadership school of NAPP aims to bring awareness in communities on parity in all spheres between men and women. It provide a safe platform to women to express themselves and identify ways to overcome barriers which prevent women and girls from achieving their full potential. Fairtrade NAPP works to empower producers in rural settings where women do most of the production with minimal access to benefits. The leadership school aim to create gender sensitized leaders in communities where we support producer organizations. In this noble cause while we are putting all organizational efforts to promote SDG 5 we look forward to partnerships with like minded organizations to join hands for broadening and deepening this important work”

The Program was inaugurated by Padmashri Salumarada Thimmakka, NAPP Chair – Mr. Bijumon Kurian, Mr. Kuldeep Singh Chauhan – Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Sanjeet Khurana – Chief Operating Officer and other board members from across India and Srilanka.

Fairtrade offers consumers a powerful way to reduce poverty through their every day shopping.

Fairtrade Network of Asia and Pacific Producers currently supports 275 producer organizations and over 200,000 farmers and workers across 20 countries in Asia and Pacific. One of its main aim is to address gender inequality in developing countries where women face many challenges than men when it comes to earning fair wages, owning land or having a say in the future of cooperatives, unions or communities. It incorporates gender equality into its programs in order to improve the lives of these women farmers and producers.

Mrs. Salumarada Thimakka, (Agriculturist & Environmentalist), Padmashri Award Winner 2019 added, “It’s an honor for me to be a part of this launch of this School. This whole programme will encourage participants from rural to position themselves as leaders in their community or associated areas.”

Participants from across the world such as Central Asia, Pakistan, South Asia and South East Asia would also be participating in this programme.