In the inland fields of central Tunisia’s Sidi Bouzid province, farmers — mostly women — pick olives, peppers or tomatoes eight hours a day, no matter the weather.

“It’s very hard work — sometimes we get so tired we fall over,” said Khadija, 49, bending over to pick another handful of peppers.Many rural women farmers in Sidi Bouzid perform this dangerous work without any security for themselves and their families. Short-term work with different employers means they are not entitled to social benefits. Given Tunisia’s high unemployment rate, there are always many other women waiting to take available jobs. Despite these precarious conditions, some positive changes are slowly helping to improve the situation of these women.