U.S. urged to toughen protections for women in temporary work programs By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE Photo: A female carries procuring bags as she walks close to the U.S.-Mexico border all through the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in San Diego, California, U.S., April 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake

(This Mar 31 story corrects spelling of name in 3rd paragraph)

MEXICO Metropolis (Reuters) – The U.S. government need to consider more powerful motion to combat discrimination and sexual harassment in temporary function systems for migrants, an advocacy team for Mexican women of all ages who complain of these types of abuse mentioned on Thursday.

Whilst the U.S. and Mexican governments have held meetings to deal with a petition filed on the issue very last yr, the attempts did not go significantly ample, explained the Centre for Migrant Legal rights.

“A year has passed with tons of discuss but little motion,” executive director Rachel Micah-Jones advised reporters at the unveiling of a report despatched to Mexican authorities.

Thursday’s report describes specified agricultural employment that look to exclude females and highlights accusations of sexual harassment they face at function.

“In the course of my 13 several years functioning in this market, I have seen numerous conditions where by females endure,” claimed one of the ladies, Daria Hernandez.

In her work at a Maryland crab processing plant, she additional, she frequently saw a male supervisor touch and harass women just before threatening to report them or send out them to Mexico if they complained.

Previous year’s petition urged Mexico to go after therapies with U.S. authorities less than the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which has stricter labor provisions than the trade pact it replaced in 2020.

The U.S. Section of Labor and Mexico’s Labor Ministry did not promptly reply to requests for comment.

U.S. and Mexican authorities have earlier vowed to protect the rights of migrant personnel.

Mexico’s govt could request additional investigation by a dispute resolution panel established up underneath the USMCA, Micah-Jones extra.

One particular of people who signed final year’s petition was Adareli Ponce, who has worked at U.S. chocolate and crawfish firms less than a short-term application.

She reported she had never read back about a farming position she applied for very last 12 months, despite the fact that she later noticed men hired for the same place and similar perform.

“I have not noticed a solitary woman afforded the very same opportunity,” she mentioned in the center’s newest report, incorporating that many farm career adverts phone solely for males.