Gender pay gap persists in fishing community: Study

Women workers involved in fish processing are getting 25 per cent less wages compared to their male counterparts, according to a study of a non-government organisation.
Besides, 31 per cent women of fishing families do not have an opinion on the purchase of family property while 56 per cent of women members do not have an opinion on the general expenditure of the family, it said.
The COST Trust, a local NGO, revealed the study findings on socio- economic condition of women from coastal fishing families at a press briefing on 'Women's contribution to the coastal fisheries sector needs to be recognised' held in the city on Monday.
Deputy Executive Director of COAST Trust Sanat K Bhowmik moderated the event and Mostafa Kamal Akand, director of the organisation, delivered welcome speech.
Assistant Director of COAST Trust Jahirul Islam presented the summary of the study.
The COAST Trust collected data from 1,200 fishing families in six unions under four upazilas of the three coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Bhola, and Bagerhat.
The study said that 65 per cent female members of the fishing families in the districts fall victims to violence.
Only 2.0 per cent of women members of the fishing families have directly contacted the union parishad for any special needs while 82 per cent of women have never participated in any arbitration or any other decision-making process of society.
Women working in fisheries are victims of clear pay discrimination which is a violation of the labour law, the study said.
About 10 to 12 per cent of women are directly and indirectly involved in the fisheries sector, but there is no separate information on their contributions, it added.
Bangladesh has made a remarkable progress in women's political empowerment, but women members of coastal fishing families are the victims of socio-economic inequalities and are still lagging far behind in terms of empowerment, the study mentioned.
"Bangladesh is the third largest fish producer in the world,. If women's participation is recognised, it will be easier for us to make this achievement sustainable," said Sanat K Bhowmik.
Mustafa Kamal Akand informed that when the coastal fishermen go to sea for fishing, the female members of the family have to take care of the whole family for a few days continuously.
"Most of these women's activities are not valued in terms of money," he said.
The COAST Trust recommended formulating special policies to identify the contribution of women in fisheries, involving women members of fishing families in economic activities, ensuring women's participation in various fisheries programmes and implementing labour policies for fishermen.
The fisheries sector is playing a vital role in the economy of Bangladesh.
This sector accounts for 3.77 per cent of the total gross domestic product (GDP) and 25.30 per cent of the agricultural GDP.
President of Bangladesh Krishak Federation Badrul Alam, garment workers' leader Saleha Islam Shantona and Joint Director of COAST Trust Md Mujibul Haque Munir were present, among others.

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