Footwear factory workers in Vietnam, 2000. Photo Credit: Linda Lim, Ph.D., University of Michigan
Footwear factory workers in Vietnam, 2000. Photo Credit: Linda Lim, Ph.D., University of Michigan

Workshop 2004

In October 2004 the University of Michigan hosted a seminal workshop regarding theintersection of health, rights, and the needs of women working in export-manufacturing. Scholars and representatives of multilateral institutions and NGO’s from the business, human rights, and reproductive health communities initiated a dialog to address gaps in knowledge, programs, and research and began to articulate a common agenda. Participants specifically identified a need for increasing access to information about the issues as well as about best practices in the field. As a partial response to this gap the University of Michigan’s Population Studies Center is hosting this website to organize and increase access to the limited information on this topic. We are working in collaboration with El Colegio de Sonorawhich has drawn together the relevant Mexican literature focusing on health in the context of the maquiladora (production for export) industries. This page provides links to the October 2004 Workshop program and to the PowerPoint lecture that provides an overview of the problem and a summary of recommendations that emerged from the workshop.

Workshop Program and Agenda [PDF]

Overview Presentation [PDF 1.1MB]

Photos from Workshop