Asia Pacific civil society groups say no to the RCEP

4 May 2017: A broad coalition of civil society organisations from the Asia Pacific region are mobilising in Manila and calling on their governments to say 'No to the RCEP’ as negotiators meet there this week. 

A press statement from the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) reads:

"APWLD members from across the region, working with broad coalition of environmental groups, trade unions, farmers groups, health groups and other social movements has been steadfast in exposing the RCEP for what it is – a means to impose neo-liberal policies of competition, privatization, liberalization, and deregulation that have been proven to have the most negative impact on women and continue the exploitation of workers, indigenous people, migrants, domestic workers and every marginalised group in the region. It will allow for governments to be sued in secret tribunals for regulating in people’s interest. It will threaten people’s access to medicine and farmers control over their seeds and lands. We are calling upon our governments to stop negotiating away our rights away at trade negotiations.”

They have also produced a video (below):