The Economic Times, January 25, 2022
Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) International, headquartered in Jaipur, with branches across the globe including USA, Europe, Africa and SE Asia is emerging as a key voice of people’s agenda amid geo-economic flux caused by the pandemic and climate change uncertainties
Established in 1984, Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that has been working on public interest issues. The following describes the Capabilities, which CUTS has developed over these 30+ years — to enable consumers, particularly the poor and the marginalised to achieve their right to basic needs, sustainable development, and good governance through strong consumer movement.
In 2020 CUTS advocated why the scope of the National Foreign Trade Policy (NFTP) of India should be enlarged from just export promotion to also include means of development through employment generation and greater stakeholder participation. Most of its recommendations were included in the NFTP Statement of 2015-20.
Led by Secretary-General Pradeep Mehta it has adopted a centrist approach through research and advocacy, ensuring outcomes, rather than just outputs. It is focused on areas (subject and geographical areas) where a vacuum and need exist. It has carved a niche for itself in research, advocacy, and networking on several issues of public interest (modelled on an evidence-based advocacy and capacity building approach) and providing capacity-building support to various groups of stakeholders across Africa and Asia.
CUTS desires to strengthen the work of consumer protection with a deep focus on financial consumer protection besides engaging intensively in urban governance and sustainable livelihood sector in India and ensuring strong road safety law and rules about the Centre as well as states and thus ensuring effective road safety in the country.
It is raising awareness on sustainable consumption and lifestyle by focussing on organic culture from rural to urban areas by way of applying Research, Advocacy, Networking and Capacity Building (RANC) tool to ensure safer, more sustainable food for all.
In April 2018, CUTS launched its sixth Overseas Centre in Washington DC, USA to capture and promote the spirit of closer cooperation with the US on several economic and strategic issues in the context of the Indo-Pacific region and in partnership with Australia and Japan, reaching out to Africa at the other end.
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