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Due to the migration of rural men to cities in search of work,
Chinese women have become the majority of the agricultural work force.
Increasingly, Chinese women farmers face the risk of accumulated
exposure to pesticides and the accompanying health hazards, such as
increased breast cancer, toxins in breast milk, miscarriages and
stillbirths. EcoWomen, formerly known as Green Mountain Women, is the
first grassroots group in China specifically organizing women to combat
pesticide abuse and advocate for women's health and rights.
Located in Yunnan province, one of the most agriculturally productive
regions of western China, EcoWomen describes itself as "greening up"
Chinese women. Through environmental educational training and programs,
the group teaches rural women about the effects of pesticide use on
women's health.
When EcoWomen conducted a pesticide pollution survey in Yunnan
province, the group found that most farmers knew little about the
effects of pesticides, or about their proper mixing, use and storage.
In response, the group launched a program to raise public awareness, in
which people exchange used pesticide bottles for gloves, masks, and
other gear that protects them against toxic chemicals.
EcoWomen transcends traditional modes of women's and environmental
activism in China, bridging two critical social justice movements with
a more holistic approach to social change.
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The Global Fund has supported EcoWomen's pesticide reduction campaigns since 2001 with
three grants totaling $20,825.
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