World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is an annual occasion for celebration and solidarity within the international consumer movement. This very important day was established on 15 March 1983 to promote consumer rights around the world, and has become an important occasion for mobilizing citizen action. On 15 March 1962, US President John F. Kennedy first outlined the definition of consumer rights while giving an address to the US congress. Kennedy said in his Congressional Statement ‘consumers by definition include us all, they are the largest economic group, affecting and affected by almost every public and private economic decision. Yet they are the only important group whose views are often not heard’. He was the first world leader who formally addressed the issue of consumer rights. He gave the American consumer four basic rights: the right to safety, right to choose, right to information and right to be heard. Over time, the global consumer movement has articulated this vision into a set of eight universal rights for consumers: the right to satisfaction of basic needs, the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, the right to be heard, the right to redress, the right to consumer education and the right to a healthy environment.The consumer movement now marks 15 March every year as a means of raising global and national awareness about consumer rights. World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is an opportunity to promote the basic rights of all consumers and demand for the respect and protection of those rights. This day also gives consumers an opportunity to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine their basic rights as consumer.
Each year Consumers International (CI), the world federation of consumer groups, sets out campaign agenda highlighting the problems and challenges faced by the consumers including protection and promotion of their basic rights. To mark this year WCRD, the campaign theme ‘antibiotics off the menu’ is devoted to tackling the issues that mostlycontributingus to become antibiotic resistance.Consumers International with its member around the world have already initiated campaigning for fast food companies to make a global commitment to stop the sale of meat raised with the routine use of antibiotics important to human medicine.Amanda Long, Director General of Consumers International said: “Global restaurant chains have an opportunity to use their huge buying power to reduce the use of antibiotics in food production and to set the agenda for other businesses. They can also help to raise public awareness about an issue that requires very urgent attention.”
Antibiotic resistance is rising to dengourously high levels in all parts of the world and it is one of the biggest threats to globalpublic health today.Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. These resistant bacteria make many infections much harder to treat.Growing antibiotic resistance is driven by over use of antibiotics. Around half of the antibiotics produced globally are used in agriculture. Much of this are being used to promote faster growth and to prevent, rather than treat, diseases.This overuse is generating more antibiotic resistant bacteria. Resistant bacteria carried by farm animals can spread to humans through consumption of contaminated food, from direct contact with animals, or by environmental spread, for example in contaminated water or soil.
It is estimated thatdespite worldwide concern about the overuse of antibiotics, their use in agriculture is due to increase by two thirds by 2030; from 63200 tones in 2010 to 105600 tones in 2030. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that without urgent action, we are heading for a post-antibiotic era, in which important medicines stop working and common infections and minor injuries can once again kill.The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, commissioned by the UK government, predictsthat deaths from antimicrobial resistance will reach 10 million per year by 2050.Antibiotic resistance is the most pressing type of antimicrobial resistance.In his speech to the G7, 2015, Margaret Chan, the Director General of WHO said “consumer groups and civil society can play an important role in combating antimicrobial resistance. They are important movers, shakers and front-line players especially in this age of social media. Consumers who question the safety of food produced heavily medicated animals, and make purchasing decisions accordingly, can have a profound impact on industry practices”.
Antibiotic resistance is a global public health crisis.Reducing use of antibiotics in one or two countries does little to address this global crisis. We need an international response to stop antibiotic resistance. Superbugs don’t recognize national borders. Global restaurant chains are in a strong position to drive a decrease in agricultural use of antibiotics, faster than the legislative change alone. It is needed to raise consumer awareness about the threat of antibiotic resistance and build pressure on global fast food companies. World Consumer Rights Day 2016 is expected to attract participation fromacross the global consumer movement to join in the campaign ‘Antibiotics Off the Menu’.
Khalilur Rahman Sajal
Executive Director
Voluntary Consumers Training & Awareness Society (VOCTA)
Email: sajal.voctabangladesh@gmail.com