December 13, 2021

Contact: Jessica Felix Romero jromero@sojo.net 

Sojourners Joins 114 Faith-Based Organizations in Calling on World Trade Organization Member Countries to Enact Waiver of Intellectual Property Barriers and Increase Global Access to Vaccines Before End of Year

Leaders from the global faith community release letter on WTO TRIPS waiver

WASHINGTON, DC - Sojourners has joined 114 other faith-based organizations, representing five world faith traditions, in signing a letter which calls on World Trade Organization member countries to act before year’s end to waive Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights rules. This would increase access to COVID vaccines and treatments globally, a moral necessity.

Almost two years after its emergence, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage, taking the lives of over five million people, straining human and material resources, and causing pain and suffering on every continent. We must act immediately to save millions of lives and stop the unfolding economic catastrophe.

Countries instituting discriminatory travel bans that harm the people and economies of low and middle-income countries will not end the COVID-19 pandemic. Only increased global access to vaccines can. The rising COVID-19 Omicron variant illustrates that COVID-19 cannot be defeated until people on every continent are vaccinated, ending racial and economic health disparities.

Read the full text of the letter here.

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About Sojourners - Sojourners, a faith-inspired nonprofit, articulates the biblical call to social justice through its magazine and digital publication and convenes, equips and mobilizes people to put their faith into action while building alliances for effective advocacy. Sojourners envisions a future in which Christians put their faith into action in the passionate pursuit of social justice, peace, and environmental stewardship, working in partnership with people of conscience and from other faith traditions. https://sojo.net/