Work
393
Nearly every woman spends most of her life working. Women
farm, prepare food, carry firewood and water, clean, and care for
children and other family members. Many women also work to
earn money to help support their families. Yet much of women’s
work goes without notice, because it is not considered as
important as men’s work.
The work women do, and the conditions in which they work,
can create health problems—which often go without notice
as well. This chapter describes some of these problems, their
causes, and ways to treat them. But unless women’s working
conditions are changed, these problems cannot really be solved.
Women must work together to make these changes happen.
➤ When a woman
works to keep her
family clean and fed,
and to earn income
to support her
family, she is actually
working two jobs.
One type of work that some women do—getting paid for sex—involves
some specific and serious health risks, so we have devoted a whole chapter to it.
“Sex Workers” starts on page 341.
Health workers, and others who care for sick people, are at risk for getting
illnesses from the people they treat. Ways of preventing these problems are
discussed on pages 295 and 525.
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012