Leaders are about to sign off on a massive, secret trade deal that will tip the balance in favour of corporations at the expense of people and planet. Women in low-income countries are amongst those facing the worst impacts. We’re coordinating a giant photo petition to show leaders the people-powered movement saying #NoRCEP. Will you join us?
Background
The Regional Economic Comprehensive Partnership (RCEP), a massive trade deal negotiated in secret, will reportedly be signed on 14 November 2020, by hologram!
This trade deal tips the balance in favour of corporations at the expense of people and our planet, especially women in low-income countries.
It could restrict government regulation in the public interest, pose a massive risk to gender equality by limiting access to crucial public services that women rely on like hospitals, transport, and schools, as well as women’s access to decent wages and rights in the workplace.
The RCEP also has no protections for workers or the environment.
The RCEP is a massive trade deal being negotiated between Australia, the ten member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam and China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. It will cover 2.2 billion people – almost 30% of the world’s population.
What can we do in response to the signing?
We are coordinating a giant photo petition to bring the voices of activists from across RCEP countries to the RCEP signing!
The photo petition will show that there is an international people-powered movement opposing the RCEP and calling for a new approach to trade agreements that promote gender equality, workers’ rights, environmental sustainability, and democracy!
Instructions:
- Take a photo of yourself with a written message in the format of #NoRCEP for … [workers’ rights / gender equality / our democracy / our environment / something else]
- Send your photo to [email protected] by Wednesday 11 November 2020. You must also give use consent to use it by including the following text in the email (FYI your photo will be very small):
I, NAME, consent that the photograph taken may be used throughout the world on the ActionAid websites and shown elsewhere on the internet, distributed to newspapers and broadcasters throughout the world, used in publications, and incorporated into other materials made by ActionAid.
Example:
We’ll stitch it together like this and then share it far and wide with civil society and decision-makers. We’ll show our representatives that we continue to resist the RCEP even though we can’t organise in person!
Sample of photo petition:
