We don’t have to wait until mother’s day or women’s day to celebrate women. Every day is the perfect time for reflection on the ways that fair trade commerce works to empower global women and working mothers, many of which we partner with to bring you the beautiful products available for purchase at our site.

Around the world, fair trade commerce provides working women with the opportunity to pursue sustainable incomes that support the needs of themselves and their children and families. This opportunity provides a sustainable way to earn a living, provide for their families, which helps preserve the culture and traditions of communities.

At the same time, the long-term goal is to create new generations of young women that are empowered to own their businesses, get the quality education they need and deserve to improve their lives and control their own destiny.

Why is it important to pay special attention to promoting the success of working women in particular?

According to the UN, despite progress in decreasing the harmful impacts of gender discrimination, inequality between the sexes remains an issue of great ethical and humanitarian concern, especially in developing nations.

Across the board, men’s wages are higher than women’s wages in both rural and urban areas. Despite earning lower wages, women in rural areas are more likely to be forced to work longer than men. In rural communities, where a majority of our artisan partners are located, women experience domestic violence at higher rates and are less likely to report their abuse.

When not working for lower wages, women are more likely than men to be spending their time doing unpaid care work. These factors make it harder for women to accrue the economic capital necessary for independence or safety apart from their oppressive or abusive families and spouses.

For Divas Fair Trade, our business model has fair trade principles front-and-center. Our vendors and artisan partners are dedicated to supporting specific populations of vulnerable women. Their work addresses the gender disparities presented by the human trafficking crisis. Women make up 70% of human trafficking victims.

We must look for opportunities to celebrate and empower women everywhere! Let’s celebrate women with action and by educating those around us about these important issues.