Women on the Border
is a 501c3 nonprofit educational organization whose mission it to advance awareness about the conditions for workers in the maquiladoras at the Mexican border and to support the empowerment of working women. All of the materials on this website are aimed at helping researchers, activists and allies of workers in the struggle for fair and just treatment in the global factories of the world. Wherever possible we try to gather unique stories from the voices of the workers themselves. We do not identify some workers by last name in places where reprisal may ensue from publicizing their concerns about injustice in the maquiladoras.
What is a maquiladora?
A maquiladora is also known as a “sweatshop” or factory that has a reputation for exploiting workers with extremely low pay, toxicity in the workplace, systematic abuse like sexual harassment and mandatory pregnancy testing and/or arbitrary methods of disciplining workers.
Women on the Border 's primary mission is educational awareness of the links between American consumerism, trade policy in the global economy and worldwide oppression of women and child laborers. While our focus is on Mexican laborers along the industrialized U.S.-Mexico border, the issues there can serve as a lens for understanding the concerns of workers in global factories everywhere.
We support individuals and organizations in Mexico who are taking on the courageous battle against the wealth and power of some multinational companies whose practices contribute to the oppression of women and children and help create toxic workplaces and polluted living environments. We do this by telling the workers' stories or by facilitating visits to meet maquiladora workers in their homes and communities on short weekend trips to see what life is like under NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement).
OUR EDUCATIONAL FOCUS: 
(delegates tour the women owned factory "Dignidad y Justicia", which is affiliated with the Mexican educational nonprofit Comité Fronterizo de Obreras (CFO) in Piedras Negras, Coahuila -- Oct. 2007).
SLIDESHOW (Reynosa Delegation 2006) (.mov) QuickTime Player Download
We can talk to your group: Board members of WOB are available to speak to groups, large or small about globalization, NAFTA, the maquiladoras, the links between industrialization and the rise in systematic violence against women, including the Ciudad Juarez murders.
Use our research materials: Yes! Please use our materials. However, do us a big favor and let us know how you are using the stories, and give credit to WOMEN ON THE BORDER where it is due. Yes, we always welcome your $$ donations. We use donations for cost maintenance of this website and we send left over money to the women of the CFO, an ally group in Mexico that is doing the frontline, grassroots work to enforce NAFTA's labor side agreement and the Mexican labor laws as best they can. For further information contact us at Director@womenontheborder.org
What's New? (Spring 2009 Updates)
**Research Paper:
**Delegations: Meet maquiladora workers in the NAFTA factories at the U.S.-Mexicn Border.
For information contact Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera at 512-474-2399 e-mail Coordinator Judith Rosenberg.
POST-DELEGATION REFLECTIONS
Brian Jones (October 2008 delegation to Piedras Negras, Coahuila)
Recent Events:
Comparing Panama City, Panama and the Mexican Border
2008 Women and Fair Trade Sale
2007 Women and Fair Trade
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