Wednesday 14 April 2010

World Consumer Rights Day 2010 - 'Our money, our rights'

The global consumer movement will once again unite for a day of action on 15 March 2010. The theme for World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) 2010 is ‘Our money, our rights’ and will highlight consumer issues in relation to financial services.

The Namibia Consumer Protection Group is presently working at attaining membership of Consumer International.

Consumers International (CI) is the world federation of consumer groups that, working together with its members, serves as the only independent and authoritative global voice for consumers.

With over 220 member organisations in 115 countries, CI is building a powerful international movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere.

Founded in 1960, the organisation is now needed more than ever. This modern movement is essential to secure a fair safe and sustainable future for consumers in a global marketplace increasingly dominated by international corporations.

Campaigns and programmes
CI campaigns on the international issues that matter to consumers everywhere. This means achieving real changes in government policy and corporate behaviour while raising awareness of consumer rights and responsibilities.

In campaigning for the rights of consumers across the world, CI seeks to hold corporations to account and demands government action to put consumer concerns first.

To this end, CI is committed to acting as a global watchdog: campaigning against any behaviour that threatens, ignores or abuses the principles of consumer protection.

CI is doing this by:
* Working with national member organisations to influence governments, highlight marketplace abuses and raise grass roots support.
* Pressing consumer concerns through official representation global bodies such as the United Nations (UN), World Health Organization (WHO), International Organization of Standardization (ISO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
* Raising awareness about purchasing choices through clear, engaging and accessible communication.