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Pressure on Women: 36% Hysterectomy Rate in Sugar Fields

6/12/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In Maharashtra, India, women laboring in sugar cane fields are being pressured into hysterectomies to escape debilitating period pain and extend their working hours. Activists reveal a staggering 36% hysterectomy rate among these workers, far exceeding the national average. Despite pledges for change, many women, including young girls, remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and exploitation.

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Story summary

In Maharashtra, India, women laboring in sugar cane fields are being pressured into hysterectomies to escape debilitating period pain and extend their working hours. Activists reveal a staggering 36% hysterectomy rate among these workers, far exceeding the national average. Despite pledges for change, many women, including young girls, remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and exploitation.