Breaking down the traditional attitude of rural independence can be hard.
Two women who had just listened to a presentation about the need for people to unite for change said they found it difficult to get some people to be friendly.
In their community of Elstow, Sask., many people live private lives and decline invitations to get together.
“How do you get some people to open up to you?” one asked.
The Jan. 10 speech they listened to during Crop Production Week in Saskatoon was about the results of initiatives to explore rural women’s health.
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Joanne Havelock of the Prairie Women’s Health Centre of Excellence said she and her partner were relaying what rural women said about the health of themselves and their communities during a series of workshops held in seven Saskatchewan communities since 2004.
“Women have a particular perspective and their views don’t necessarily get brought forward,” said Havelock in explaining why only women were invited to the workshops.
Noreen Johns of the Rural Women’s Issues Committee said the organizers told workshop participants that they were not there to solve their problems.
“We’re here to help you visualize what you can do in your communities.”
Johns said rural woman can’t do their own heart surgery, but there are small ways they can help.
“Go to the doctor’s appointment with your great aunt Lucy and ask the questions that have to be asked.”
Because rural women are isolated and invisible to policy makers, they must band together to lobby for changes that will help ensure they and their communities stay healthy.
Often it’s practical ideas like getting the health-care system to book two medical tests on the same day so rural people can reduce the amount of driving they have to do.
The themes that came out of the women’s meetings were the need to get women in leadership roles, better access to health services and information, how to keep communities vibrant, how to strengthen farming and preserving the environment.
The issues committee has offered some grants to allow women to carry out action on these themes. Workshops are planned for Swift Current in February and Watrous in March.
For more information, visit www.ruralwomensask.ca.
