Sun And Struggle The Lives Of Women Fishworkers

The image depicts women from the Mitana Machhi community at Nargol beach in Gujarat – India, drying fish on wooden racks called ‘kaanthi’. Women workers, who are predominantly from the socially marginalized Mitana Machhi community, form a majority of fishworkers in south Gujarat’s dried fish economy. Their daily routine involves 10-12 hours of laborious work under the harsh sun, including sorting, cleaning, and drying fish. Unfortunately, many of these work areas lack basic amenities like clean water and sanitation facilities. Balancing their roles as fishworkers and traditional caregivers, women fishworkers often suffer from exhaustion and lack of rest, leading to other health issues. This narrative ties into my research on human rights in the dried fish economy of south Gujarat, emphasizing the challenges fishworkers face in this sector and the need for greater attention to their rights and well-being.