Gender Audit for Gender Mainstreaming of Coastal and Marine Fishing Community of India

Abstract

Fisherwomen constitute 47% of the total adult coastal and marine fishing populations India.  They share major contribution in fishing of their families either directly or indirectly, especially in post-harvest and land based activities.  They have also been involved in passive fishing such as sea weed gathering, mussel collection, and prawn capturing in near shore coastal ecosystems.  The activities performed by fisherwomen in fishing are diverse and differs to those of men but significant for livelihood of their families.  Fisherwomen activities amount high in the share of economic contribution to coastal fishing in India.  The work performance of fisherwomen in fishing related activities are un-recognised or under recognised.  Gender biased discrimination such as access to resources, control over family; consumption pattern and freedom for domestic expenditure are prevalent in their family and community. Gender mainstreaming activities of the Government are merely recognised by the fishing community.  Gender inequality slows down the economic development and deepens poverty in fishing community. Inadequate recognition of fisherwomen’s contribution in fisheries shall hamper sustainable development process.  Gender equality is a basic of human right, and its achievement shall bring many long term positive changes in human development and socio-economic progress.  A gender audit assesses the extent to which gender equality is effectively institutionalised in the policies, programmes, schemes and in the corresponding budgets.  To measure the gender gap in coastal fisheries in India, Gender Inequality Index (GII) has been studied.  Accordingly, GII in fisheries is 0.618, which is comparatively higher than that of National average (0.563).  This paper discusses the gender gaps in fisheries and requisite gender mainstream activities for fisherwomen empowerment.