Women's Group . . . .

To promote leadership among women and to raise issues faced by the women - fish workers, an autonomous body of women was formed.

The Federation is also involved at the district and state level in the issues faced by the women fish vendors. It also involves in their other gender equity related issues along with the issues as women in fisheries and fishing community. Leadership is also given in organising Self-Help Groups. The groups also heavily participate in the anti-liquor campaigns. The issues taken up by the Federation include security of women fish vendors in fish markets, the provision of basic amenities in the markets, travel facilities for the women vendors with their fish, etc. The efforts and campaign in these regard have raised the status of women fish vendors in the society. The thrust on their upliftment in the fields of educational, social and health has also given in the future involvement.

In 1990 the railway authorities announced the one boggy of a train would be set apart for women fishventors from Trivandrum to Kollam in response to the memorandum from KSMTF. This was an indication of the concern of KSMTF for the needs of the women fishventors,and the influence it had even on railways.

Fisher Women in Kerala Fight Back

The Theeradesa Mahila Vedi is a movement of marginalized fisherwomen struggling for survival. The process of protecting the economic security of fisherwomen itself is a major political exercise for the Theeradesa Mahila Vedi. As a community dependent on the resources from the sea, political process of the struggle is intertwined with ecological concerns, gender dimension and economic security. The struggle of the Theeradesa Mahilavedi has reached a long way today. Its future depends on the nature of political support and solidarity this movement receives from all other women’s groups and the struggles of other marginalized communities More>>