International Women’s Day-Not For The Weak In the Congo

Where Women Do Most of the Hard Work…By NICHOLAS KRISTOF of The New York Times

One of the puzzles of the developing world is that women frequently do some of the hardest physical labor. Hauling water, for example, is “women’s work” in culture after culture. And anybody who has tried to haul a couple of buckets of water four miles from the nearest well know how excruciatingly heavy water becomes after a few hundred yards.

So on the occasion of International Women’s Day (which was 3 days ago), I’ve posted a video * about the Congo Exercise Plan (which is essentially to do a Congolese woman’s work). But, frankly, I’d rather work out in a gym… So check out the video, and I’d welcome your thoughts about why it is that some of the hardest physical labor in poor countries is reserved for women.

* http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/03/08/opinion/1247467297119/what-are-you%20-carrying.html