Women in developing countries, Nigeria inclusive, risk their lives through the simple act of cooking. In fact, preparing a meal for herself and her family can be one of the most dangerous activities that a woman does.
Alarmingly, nearly 3 billion people still rely on solid fuels to cook their food each day. When burned in open fires and inefficient cook stoves, fuels such as kerosene, wood, coal, charcoal and animal waste,create a toxic smoke that fills homes and communities the world over. This becomes very grave where the cooking is done in poorly ventilated dwellings etc. Two million people die annually from pneumonia, Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease (COPD), lung cancer and heart disease caused by Cookstove smoke and millions more suffer from these ailments for years as well as from injuries such as cataracts and burns (e.g where adulterated kerosene are made use of.)
Women are predominantly the household cooks in most countries and with their children saddled to their backs, or at their sides as they cook, the entire family becomes victim to this silent killer...
Read more www.theguardian.com/environment
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