Jacqueline Oxman-Martinez
McGill University, CANADA
joxman@po-box.mcgill.ca

Sylvie Gravel
City of Montreal
CANADA
sgravel@santepub-mtl.qc.ca

Description:

This workshop will examine the integration of immigrant and refugee women into the labour market and the impact of cultural and gender differences on the health of these women, who often live in difficult economic circumstances and social isolation.

Building social capital in cities depends on integrating immigrant and refugee women into the labour market. But first it is necessary to examine gender equity and the presence of female immigrant workers from new waves of immigration (the cohorts of the 1980s and 1990s) with less schooling and fewer resources, and more pronounced cultural differences from the dominant culture. The health of women, who frequently experience economic and conjugal exploitation, will be one of the workshop's major themes. The factors which prevent these women from attaining social and economic autonomy and maintaining or improving their health and well-being will be among the issues discussed.

Public policies should be reformulated to better reflect the social and economic exploitation and exclusion experienced by these women, and to prevent the recurrence and chronicity of these situations, without neglecting those measures necessary to maintain or improve their health, in the context of their ethnic origin.

Researchers, NGOs and decision-makers will give interactive presentations. The workshop will also include an international perspective.