Wombs of Debt

For many women, the physical demands of 14-hour shifts cutting sugar in southern India are only part of the challenge. More deeply concerning is the pressure some face to put their reproductive health at risk in order to remain in employment. Living in makeshift camps without toilets or clean water, female cutters face an impossible reality; having to manage a period in these conditions isn’t just exhausting but also financially disastrous. In a system where missing a single shift triggers severe wage deductions, taking a day off for menstrual pain simply isn't an option. In the most extreme cases, to eliminate period cramps and pregnancy breaks entirely, women are driven to undergo hysterectomies just to stay in the fields and repay the advance they’ve already taken from contractors.