Kezhokhoto Savi
Every year the 15th March is observed as the ‘World Consumer Rights Day’ all over the world. The significance of the day is that on this day in 1962 John F. Kennedy, the then President of United States of America declared four consumer rights in his special message to the American Congress. John F. Kennedy was the first world leader to do so. The consumer movement first marked that date in 1983 and now use the day every year to mobilise action on important issues and campaigns. Later on the International Organisation of Consumers Union added four rights to the list. These rights are; 1. Right to safety. 2. Right to be informed. 3. Right to choose. 4. Right to be heard. 5. Right to redress. 6. Right to consumer education. 7. Right to a healthy environment. 8. Right to basic needs. The Govt. of India has included these rights in its 20 point programme. These have also been incorporated in the United Nations Charter of Human Rights.
The world consumer rights day is celebrated every year to pay solidarity with the International Consumer movement and give more attention to promote basic rights of consumers and this is an opportunity to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.
“Making digital marketplaces fairer” is the theme of 2018 where Consumer International is calling for fairer digital marketplaces. E-commerce has transformed the way that people shop, giving consumers more choice than ever before.
In 2017 global e-commerce sales reached 2.29 trillion dollars, but nearly 70% of the consumers worry their digital payments are unsafe. And therefore calls for action against scams and fraud, and better consumer protection online. The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation(NVCO) has been observing its two-week long observance of World Consumers’ Rights Day.
