Abstract:
Since its inception four decades ago, the idea of fair trade as an alternative trade does not receive adequate attention from public in general. Nevertheless, there are a number of organizations which involve themselves in the promotion of fair trade both as idea and practice. Through their campaign and advocacy activities these organizations have indulged in an attempt to link trade practices with social clauses such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the International Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. One of these organizations is Oxfam-UK, an NGO based in Oxford, United Kingdom. From the 1960s Oxfam-UK had set up an alternative trade in which products from poor producers in developing countries are traded in the global market in accordance to the fair trade principles. Since the 1980s, this organization has carried out its fair trade activities in Indonesia. This research looks
at how Oxfam-UK conducted its activities in the area of fair trade campaign in
Indonesia, especially in three sectors of economic activities: garment/batik.
agricultural products and handicrafts. In illustrating the opportunities and challenges of Oxfam-UK 's activities, we refer to the experiences of three organizations which serve as Oxfam's partners: Yayasan Mitra Bumi Indonesia, Yayasan Samadi, and Apikri.
