Cultural and Educational Development (Fomento Cultural y Educativo A.C., or FOMENTO) is a Global Greengrants Fund grantee that we’ve supported since 2006. Based out of northern Mexico, the organization was established to support indigenous peoples and labor movements. The group works to defend socio-economic and environmental rights, with a focus on issues related to environmental health.
Over the past year, FOMENTO has focused on improving the labor conditions of workers in Mexico’s electronic industry. Their strategy is to reduce exposure to dangerous and toxic substances, including lead, cadmium, flux, copper, and tin. To achieve this goal, FOMENTO held a number of workshops and educational trainings with workers in various cities in northern Mexico. Workers shared their experiences, compared situations, and developed strategies to increase their working and health conditions. In many of these meetings, the organization educated workers on how their human rights may be being violated. The group offered legal advice and strategies for uniting to bring this issue to the media and policymakers.
Eventually, they were able to present the cases of over 200 workers to the National Chamber of the Electronics Industry of Telecommunications and Information Technology. Specific companies that were in violation of workers’ rights were targeted, and the group achieved positive resolutions for around 72 cases. Grant funds were also used to strengthen FOMENTO’s own directives by enabling them to participate in a number of international conferences and networking events, such as the Good Electronics Network and the Electronics Industry Conduct Code.
Finally, FOMENTO played an integral role in assisting 12 workers in Reynosa and 36 workers in Guadalajara to enroll in a diploma program on labor rights, where they are receiving training on labor regulations, rights, and how to raise awareness on the violations of these rights.
As an unfortunate by-product of global economic troubles, the environmental health conditions in the electronics industry has seen a downturn. Many companies are looking to save money by not improving factory conditions for their workers. The work of FOMENTO and other similar organizations becomes increasingly important in protecting the health, rights, and environments of communities near manufacturing.