Millions of individuals and families are living here in the U.S. in violation of U.S. immigration laws. But as a Christian, I firmly believe we have to take a more penetrating look at the situation because we believe we are all subject to a Higher Law.

The Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investment offers the following statement as a guideline toward what we envision is necessary in order to make the current trade model more fair and just. We encourage you to read our alternative policies document, “Trade as if People and the Earth Mattered: a working document on alternatives”.

Trade As If People and Earth Matter: A Working Document on Alternatives,
seeks to contribute to the emerging dialogue on a new framework for trade that holds the promise of promoting just and sustainable development in the countries and areas where it is most needed. Trade policies and agreements must put people first! They should further genuine social and economic development for our neighbors around the world while preserving and creating good jobs here at home. They must support – not hinder – governments in adopting policies to protect public health and the natural environment. Trade policies must strike a balance between creating a predictable structure for international trade and preserving the policy space necessary for governments to foster and secure economic, social and human development for all their citizens.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a popular and much supported set of goals to cut poverty in half by 2015. But will they achieve these goals? This power point presentation takes a hard look at the goals, both their positive and negative dimensions and focuses on Goal 8 as the key for success or failure.

Agriculture is central to women and women are central to agriculture as
producers, processors, retailers in the cash economy and as consumers
in their role of social reproduction in the care economy. This power
point presentation examines the multiple ways women interact with the
food supply chain.

This research evaluates gender biases in trade-related employment changes in the U.S. manufacturing industries.  We find that existing patterns of occupational segregation have ensured that female workers are more vulnerable to trade-related insecurities.  We also find that the patterns of segregation make it less likely that female workers will benefit from potential gains from trade.  We believe that the extent of this bias highlighted here should provide a strong motivation to evaluate the effectiveness of trade-related emloyment eompensation and adjustment programs from a gender perspective.

"As members of the U.S. - Southern Africa Customs Union Free Trade Agreement Working Group (U.S.-SACU FTA Working Group), the Center shares the goals of a more just, sustainable and prosperous human society in the region. In this spirit, the Center and and more than a dozen other groups raised serious concerns related to the negotiations of the U.S.-SACU FTA and offer recommendations that are essential to a more just trade relationship between the United States and the nations of Southern Africa in this letter to embassadors and Congressional leaders."

Aldo Caliari and Jessica Walker-Beaumont succinctly explain some of the ways in which imbalances in the trade and debt system nurture each other.