Organizer 1
Dr. Denise L. Spitzer
Visiting Assistant Professor and Adjunct Professor
University of Alberta
Women's Studies Programme/Dept. of Anthropology 13-15 Tory Building Edmonton, AB CANADA T6G 2H4

Tel: 780-492-0139
Fax: 780-492-5273
Email:denise.spitzer@ualberta.ca


Organizer 2
Dr. Lynn Meadows
Professor
Department of Family Medicine University of Calgary
Calgary General Hospital 2500 - 26 Avenue N.E. Calgary ,AB,T1Y6J4,CANADA

Tel:
Fax:
Email:meadows@acs.ucalgary.ca


Organizer 3
Dr. Miriam J. Stewart
Scientific Director
Institute of Gender and Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
700 UEC University of Alberta 8303 112 Street Edmonton, AB Canada T6G 2T4

Tel: 780-492-3632
Fax: 780-492-3689
Email:miriam.stewart@cihr.ca



Workshop description:
International workforce migration, refugeeism, and rapidly changing health care systems have put new demands on governments to develop equitable and effective health and social policy. Countries of the North and Australia that attract a number of migrants, are grappling with providing adequate health and social services to these populations. Notably migrant women face special hardships in the process of resettlement. Drawing on the research that is being conducted in Canada, Australia, Britain and Israel, this workshop analyzes the strategies used by selected immigrant and refugee groups to manage their health, the social context of their lives that influence health; the social services, formal and informal that they utilize, the impact of health care reform on migrant health, and the processes that constrain access to health care. Using a ‘gender lens’ to guide our analysis, we will examine existing policies that address the health and social issues of these populations.


Goals of the workshop:
1) situate the role of FDWs within the context of gender, work and the North-South inequalities of globalization; 2) compare different national policies on FDWs and their impact on workers and their families; 3) explore the relationships between FDWs, employers, agencies and host societies; and 4) create an international network of individuals interested in FDWs.




Policy relevance and topic: Immigration and labour policies governing the movement of FDWs will be central to our discussions


How international comparisons are included: Participants include individuals from major source and recipient countries of FDWs.


Reference to concerns with policy-making and best practice: Participants will identify practices and policies that both constrain and facilitate the growth of healthy communities and individuals with a view to articulating best practices.
Recommendations will be made by workshop participants.



Presenters / participants /other information
Joan Anderson
Univeristy of British Columbia,
Canada

Ian Harkess
Leicestershire, UK

Marsha Henry,
University of British Columbia,
Canada

Lynn Meadows,
University of Calgary,
Canada

Larissa Remennick,
Bar-Ilan University, Israel

Denise Spitzer,
University of Alberta,
Canada

Don Stewart,
Queensland University of Technology,Australia





Summary:
International migration and changing health care systems have put demands on governments to develop health and social policy. Migrant women face special hardships in the process of resettlement. Using a gender lens to guide our analysis we will examine policies that address the health and social issues of these populations



Date: 11 september


(1 session is 3 hours)
Number of sessions: 1

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