‘If poverty has a woman’s face…what
is the race, class, sexual and age identity of the women referred to,
and what specific structures of inequality determines their impoverished
status?’
Muñoz p.21
In Intersecting Violences, Patricia Muñoz refers to a number of studies that highlight the links between trade liberalisation, inequality and the rise of VAW. High levels of poverty and class inequality persist in Latin America in spite of economic structural adjustment measures and neo-liberal free trade agreements. Since the 1980s, multinational companies have moved into the region, especially on the USA/ Mexican border and in Central America, to take advantage of the cheap labour force predominantly made up of women workers. Researchers and women’s organisations have documented cases of sexual and physical harassment and abuse against women workers and other violations of labour rights in these factories. In addition, because of the isolation of the factories and night shifts, maquila (manufacturing) workers living in marginalised communities are extremely vulnerable to rape. A significant number of the women murdered in Ciudad Juarez and Honduras were maquila workers.
The following case study is of an organisation focussed on enabling women workers and unemployed women to defend their rights.
putting intersectional analysis
into practice |
MEC
Nicaragua  |
