THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city will host the India Fisherwomen Assembly (IFA) 2024, on November 5 and 6 in which over 300 women delegates are expected to participate and discuss topics such as impact of the blue economy, devastation due to climate crisis and disasters and food sovereignty.
IFA is being held in the run up to the 8th General Assembly of the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), to be held in Brazil from November 14 to 21. The national assembly will have a political convention, thematic sessions, art and cultural programmes and a rally demanding the protection of rights of fishers.
Besides fisherwomen, women leaders from the social sector, academicians, artists, and political leaders from different parts of India will participate. The conference is being organised by the Theeradesha Mahila Vedi and the Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF). The venue will be Fr Thomas Kochery Centre at Valiyathura, Thiruvananthapuram.
The venue has been named after Fr Kochery taking into account the direction and inspiration he has given for the setting up of organisations like the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) and KSMTF.Four fish-worker women from India will participate in the 8th General Assembly of WFFP.
The outcome of the deliberations at IFA will be presented at the international forum, the organisers said. According to them, women fish-workers are facing a lot of social, cultural and political discrimination and atrocities in connection with their vocation and organisational activities.
The fishworker women have opposed policies that have virtually surrendered the seas and the coast to corporates. Such policies have broken the back of the traditional fishing sector, they lamented. Issues that are also expected to be taken up at the IFA include unscientific construction being carried out in the coastal areas that have reduced the access of fishworkers to the sea and the coast. This has made life miserable for traditional fishers and women who are engaged in selling fish, a note circulated in connection with IFA said.
Climate change that has made fishing more cumbersome and dangerous will also dominate the discussions at IFA. Notably, women in the coastal areas have been worst affected by the depletion of coast and marine wealth. Other demands of the fishworkers include adequate compensation for the families of those killed in the mishaps at Muthalapozhi harbour, waiver of their loans and jobs for the children of those killed while engaged in fishing.
Construction of new houses and compensation to those who have been rendered jobless and homeless due to sea erosion has been a long-pending demand, the IFA organisers said. They have also demanded priority and special consideration for women fish workers in harbours and creation of adequate infrastructure facilities in fish markets for them.
Ahead of the conference, a bike rally led by fisherwomen will be held from Thumba to Poonthura via Shankhumukham at 5 pm on Monday. The organising committee will also remember the deceased leaders in the fisheries sector such as Fr Kochery, Joychan Antony, T Peter and Sr Rose and fishworkers the same day.
IFA will formally begin in the morning of November 5 with a rights proclamation rally taken out by women fishworkers from Valiyathura. Thereafter, the conference will begin at Fr Thomas Kochery Centre at Valiyathura, Thiruvananthapuram at 10 am. Various sessions, to discuss a range of topics connected with the fisheries sector, have been scheduled during the two-day conference.
Rights proclamation rally from Valiyathura
IFA will formally begin on the morning of November 5 with a rights proclamation rally taken out by women fishworkers from Valiyathura. Thereafter, the conference will begin at Fr Thomas Kochery Centre at Valiyathura, Thiruvananthapuram at 10 am.