In several Central American countries, women workers are often forced to undergo pregnancy testing or take contraception. In many Asian countries, workers making shoes are exposed to dangerous chemicals.
Sweatshops also exist in other manufacturing industries, such as toys, electronics and agriculture.
The prevalence of global sweatshops has also ignited an anti-sweatshop movement in the US and Europe. This issue includes ongoing coverage of sweatshops and the movement to hold manufacturers accountable. The media attention spawned by CorpWatch bolstered the excellent work of a variety of organizations striving to hold Nike accountable and to improve working conditions in garment and shoe factories globally. Student organizers demanding that universities doing business with Nike hold the company to higher standards kept Nike's labor practices in the spotlight. Meanwhile, faced with the increasing clout of activist groups, falling stock prices and weak sales, Nike announced major concessions to its critics in May, 1998.