Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
USA

Fax: 202-261-8577

21 August 2008

Dear Secretary Rice:

I am writing to express my concern about widespread sex discrimination in Guatemalan factories producing goods for U.S. manufacturers and retailers. A report by Human Rights Watch reveals widespread abuse of women's human rights in the export processing sector.

I urge you to make meaningful your public commitment to integrate the issue of the status of women into U.S. foreign policy by raising pregnancy-based sex discrimination against women job applicants and workers in the Guatemalan export processing sector with the Guatemalan government in appropriate bilateral meetings. I also encourage you to instruct the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City to investigate and report on all allegations of sex discrimination in the export processing sector.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this significant labor and human rights matter.

Sincerely,