Abstract
This is a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study carried out in a rural settlement of the Landless Rural Workers' Movement in the mid-western region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It aims to present and discuss the views settled women have with regard to the work done within the settlement, addressing implications for women's health. The data were gathered in 2011 through semi-structured interviews conducted among nine women living in the settlement. Based on the analysis of the theme, the results indicated that the work done by settled women is broad and not always recognized. With regard to health, it was found that female settled citizens are exposed to vulnerabilities, because they live in an area where work is eminently manual and are exposed to the weather and other instabilities of nature. Another finding is the expansion of women's space of participation in the family business, including specific credit lines for female farmers, factors contributing to the emancipation of women. Therefore, it seems relevant to join efforts to expand actions that support the development of comprehensive public policies to address the reality of the context in which these women are located.
Keywords
settlement; work; women; health