Aid by Trade aims to empower women who produce natural fibres
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has designated 2026 as the International Year of Women in Agriculture. Various initiatives have already highlighted the fact that, particularly in the Global South, it is often women who are engaged in primary production and form the first link in the supply chain, yet this is not recognised. The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) now aims to recognise the central role of women in cotton and cashmere production for the global textile industry through its ‘From My Hands to Your Wardrobe’ campaign. Prominent partners from the worlds of politics, business and civil society are supporting the initiative, including the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the WWF, Welthungerhilfe and Tchibo.
Structural discrimination against women is a global problem
Structural discrimination against women remains a major cause of global injustice and untapped development potential. Although women carry out the bulk of agricultural work worldwide, they often lack equal access to resources, education and financial independence. Yet closing the gender gap in agriculture holds enormous potential, explains the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It could boost the global economy by one trillion US dollars and secure food for 45 million people, according to an FAO study https://www.fao.org/wo...er-2026/en.
“Women farmers and herders are often under-represented in the public eye, even though they make a vital contribution at the start of the supply chain,” says Tina Stridde, Executive Director of the Aid by Trade Foundation. “We see it as our mission to raise awareness of this within international supply chains and amongst consumers. Our campaign ‘From my hands to your wardrobe’ gives these remarkable women a platform and brings their stories to the fore.”
AbTF supports women in the cotton production in Africa
In addition to gender equality criteria in all independently verified sustainability standards for cotton and cashmere, this multi-stage approach includes gender-specific training content designed to empower women. In Africa, the foundation is active in 10 sub-Saharan countries through its ‘Cotton made in Africa’ and ‘Cotton made in Africa Organic’ standards, implementing projects for women’s empowerment. Key instruments in this regard include the establishment of over 100 women’s groups to date, as well as the commitment of African partner companies to actively promote gender equality. The partners support the women’s groups in organising themselves, setting up their own projects and tapping into additional sources of income. This ranges from establishing small start-ups and providing literacy programmes to facilitating access to loans or securing their own contracts with the cotton companies. An independent study from 2024 confirms the progress made: In Mozambique, 80 per cent of the men and women surveyed disagreed with the statement that housework is the sole responsibility of women. Furthermore, over 80 per cent of women farmers in Côte d’Ivoire stated that they receive an equal share of the proceeds from cotton sales. Study-on-Women-Empowerment-2024.pdf,
Fairness for women cashmere producers in China
AbTF is also active with the Good Cashmere Standard in the regions of origin of the fine cashmere wool in Inner Mongolia, a vast autonomous region in northern China. There, female herders often play a central role in the family-run businesses. Thanks to the AbTF initiative, they benefit just as much as their male colleagues from the training courses offered by the standard. The four GCS model farms are managed on an equal footing by men and women. These farms serve as central training centres and models of best practice for female and male herders throughout the region.
The Good Cashmere Standard and the Cotton made in Africa Standard (https://www.aidbytrade.org) also strengthen the position of female workers in the processing of cotton and cashmere production through clear guidelines on gender equality, such as the requirement for equal pay for equal work.
Foundation invites people to get involved
The “From my hands to your wardrobe” campaign is being promoted on its own landing page https://www.aidbytrade...rommyhands, as well as via social media and the Foundation’s channels.
Author: Karin Heinze
Sources: Press release from the Aid by Trade Foundation, campaign website, all photos courtesy of AbTF
Comments