Navigating Patriarchy And Profits

This photograph depicts a female fish vendor from the Mitana Machhi fishing community selling dried fish at the Khattalwada weekly rural market in Valsad, Gujarat, India. In the rural and tribal regions of southern Gujarat, women from fishing communities play a crucial role as primary sellers of dried fish. Their customers often consist of economically disadvantaged groups in tribal and forest areas, for whom dried fish serves as a more affordable source of nutrition. These women navigate traditional gender roles at home while confronting social, cultural, and patriarchal barriers to establish their presence in the markets. Through my research, which focuses on human rights within the dried fish economy in southern Gujarat, I emphasize the importance of centering discussions on human rights around the lived experiences of women dried fish vendors, rather than solely relying on legal frameworks and government policies.