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Chandrika SharmaInternational Collective in Support of Fishworkers

(ICSF)

WOM EN IN FISHERIES CONFERENCE

HANO I, VIETNAM

2-4 DECEMBER 2008

Women in Post-HarvestFisheries: An Asian Situationer


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Women play vital roles in post-harvest fisheries:

? Vending fish in localmarkets, or even across

borders (Cambodia-Thailand)

? Traditional processing of fish(salting, drying, fermenting…) for sale in domestic

markets, regional marketsand international markets(Maldives fish, Vietnamesenuoc mam fish sauce)

Women in post-harvest fisheries


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Women play vital roles inpost-harvest fisheries:

? Sorting and drying trashfish in harbours, for

fishmeal or humanconsumption

? Peeling shrimp/ crabsetc. at harbours/ homes,on wage or piece rate

basis? Working as processing

plant workers in theorganized sector



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? Nature of women’s workin post-harvest variesacross region andlocation, is culturally and

socially determined, andis changing

? Rarely seen as`productive’-seen as anextension of the

`domestic’ space? Remains largely invisible,

lack of data (but what isavailable is indicative)


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Women in post-harvest SSF

? Small-scale fisheriescharacterized by genderdivision of labour,complementarity

? Women add value to the fish,bring back income and food

? Family and community asproduction/ reproduction unit

?

Defending women’s roles inSSF akin to defending small-scale fisheries and theircommunities


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Women’s changing roles

? Women’s roles in post-harvestSSF changing due to impact ofchanging technology andorganization, trade flows,fisheries policy etc.

? New, emerging roles: Dealingwith low-value fish, workingas wage labour in sorting trashfish or working to process fishin organized or unorganizedsector.


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Women employed in fish processing

? Women form bulk of labour force? Work in organized and/ or

unorganized sector? Significant source of employment

in countries like Thailand,Indonesia, Philippines and India

? Issues related to conditions ofwork, discriminatory payment,casualization, use of migrantlabour, insecure employment…

? Problems particularly acute inunorganized sector (daily wage orpiece rate basis)


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Support needed :? Strengthen women’s role in all

aspects of decision-making?

Enhance access to resources(eliminate discrimination)? Access to fish (decentralized

landings…)? Access to formal credit?

Access to markets (problems oftaxes, transportation…) andbetter prices

? Access to appropriate technology


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Support needed :? Better facilities at markets,

processing sites, harbours andlanding centers (including childcare, water, sanitation…)

? Access to spaces needed forprocessing, vending...

? Better working working conditions(minimum wages, equal pay,protection against sexual

harassment/ violence, child care,safety at work) and social security? Access to basic services (education,

health…)


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Critical interventions:? Collection of gender-

disaggregatedcomprehensive data

?

Valuation of productiveand reproductive tasks? Strengthening links

between post-harvest andharvest (including in

CBCRM)? Strengthening women’s

organizations/ awarenessof rights and ability toclaim


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Key issues

? Different basis for organizingwomen in small-scale post harvestwork, and those employed forpost-harvest work/ different

concerns and priorities? Need to reinforce the community

basis of organizing/ issues ofcommunity and resourcesustainability

? Need to ensure that issues ofwomen are addressed withinorganizations (feministperspective)


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THANK YOU

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