Nearly half the world's population live on less than about £1 a day.

The three richest people in the world are richer than all 600 million people living in the world's poorest countries.

At the moment, unfair trade rules mean that poor countries lose out by £370 billion each year. 

Many of the goods produced by poor countries are worth the same now as they were 150 years ago. Or less.

      1)      Rich countries decide the rules

2)      AND they have machines and factories to help them make more goods in the first place

3)      AND they have better transport which means they can sell their stuff to lots of different people

4)      AND the government gives them money (subsidies) on top of that!

1)      They don’t get much say in the rules

2)      They do not have the same complicated machines or factories

3)      It is not as easy to transport their stuff

4)      Their governments are not allowed to help them.

Fairer trade rules would make a massive difference. If the rules were fair, poor farmers and traders would be better able to grow their businesses and give more work to others. This would mean they could afford to feed and clothe their families, send their children to school and college and pay for medicines.

If you know about trade and why it’s unfair, tell your friends about it and spread the word!