Gender and work: the experience of providers of health services to indigenous women from Guerrero and Oaxaca

The scope of this paper was to identify the role of gender for women as workers, through the perception and discourse of health service providers at the 'Health Centers for Indigenous Women' ('Casas de Salud de las Mujeres Indigenas') in Ometepec, Guerrero and Matias Romero, Oaxaca, Mexico. It is a qualitative study, based on a secondary analysis of the interviews conducted as part of the 'Rescatando la experiencia de la Casa de la Mujer Indigena: sistematizacion y evaluacion del proceso' project. A strong sense of the value of work and a strong commitment towards the community were identified. Guilt appears as the result of tension between work outside the home and the responsibilities as mothers and wives. The possibility of helping other women is a source of gratification that dissipates these conflicts; prestige and recognition are added to the benefits of their role. The labor experience of female workers in the 'Casas de Salud de las Mujeres Indigenas' of Matias Romero, Oaxaca and Ometepec, Guerrero, described in this paper, reveals that it has very specific characteristics, which are difficult to replicate in other regions of the country. In future studies it is necessary to consider the different contexts of vulnerability. Adapted from the source document.