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"The book is a bible of many health issues
that impact the well-being of women."
The Hesperian Foundation's health manual "Where Women Have
No Doctor," first published in 1997, has become a sort of
bible for women in places where medical care is scarce.
Jane Maxwell, co-author and Hesperian project coordinator
for the book's development, recently received words of praise
from a group serving women with disabilities in Tanzania:
"We have found that the book is a bible of many health issues
that impact the well-being of women. It is a real and practical
health guide for women."
The easy-to-read manual helps to identify and treat medical
problems that affect women. It also educates readers about
environmental and social problems that negatively impact women's
health. The book also contains stories and examples that reveal
some of the common health issues faced by women worldwide.
Some of the book's useful tools include stories about campaigning
in Nigeria to prevent death during childbirth, creating a
cooperative business in El Salvador, and organizing to institute
HIV testing in Brazil.
The stories come from the groups of women in 40 countries
who reviewed the book's proposed content, field-tested drafts
and provided essential feedback. Through this process, they
significantly expanded the topics to include 31 chapters addressing
issues such as sexual health, violence against women, work
and medicine.
Because "Where Women Have No Doctor" has an open copyright,
people are able to adapt the book's content to their communities,
so this bible reflects the women's own experiences and evolves
with them. Groups worldwide have translated and adapted "Where
Women Have No Doctor" into about 20 languages with about 20
additional translations in progress.
Maxwell says that the effort to create translations often
brings together organizations that are used to being at odds.
For example, women's health organizations in Haiti's politically
contentious climate worked together to create a Kreyol (Haitian
Creole) version. At more that 500 pages, it is the largest
book translated into Kreyol aside from the Bible, Maxwell
says.
With grants from Hesperian's Creative Education Fund, groups
have found ways to make the book's health information accessible
to wider audiences. Its content had been transformed into
lively formats such as street theater, games, radio programs,
puppet shows and messages emblazoned on backpacks.
In Kenya, where running is quite popular, a group even organized
a women's health education relay race, where the teenaged
participants had to avoid "temptation" obstacles symbolic
of behaviors dangerous to their health.
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Statistic:
Half a million women will
die unnecessarily from pregnancy-related complications
each year, the causes of which are exacerbated
by issues of poverty and remoteness.
World Health Organization,
"Gender, Health and Poverty," Fact
Sheet no. 251, June 2000
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"Where Women Have No Doctor" continues to empower and evolve
with the women of the world. Humanitarian Assistance for the
Women and Children of Afghanistan recently began a Dari translation
of portions of the book to use with Afghan refugees.
"Women's Health Exchange," a newsletter published by Hesperian
with content from communities worldwide, continues to connect
the global network of women that the book spawned. And so
the stories and knowledge continue to spread.
For more information, contact Jane Maxwell at janem@hesperian.org.
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