Ashamed of prejudices faced by women in fisheries sector: Kerala Governor

Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan on Sunday said that he felt ashamed as an Indian of the biases and prejudices faced by women in fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan on Sunday said that he felt ashamed as an Indian of the biases and prejudices faced by women in fisheries and aquaculture sectors. "The contribution of women to fisheries and aquaculture has long been slightly neglected to the extent of considering the fishing industry as men's work. Women have continued to be key players in both the processing and doorstep delivery of fish for decades," Arif Khan said.

He further noted that women in developing countries face substantive challenges in these sectors either through deserving wages or adequate opportunities. "I feel totally ashamed of these biases and prejudices. There is a lack of opportunities for women and a disparity in wages. As an Indian, I feel ashamed of it," Khan said, adding, "At the global level, these social justice violations will also stand in the way of achieving sustainable development goals on poverty reduction and food and nutrition security. Therefore it is important that these challenges are discussed and debated with the aim of finding potential solutions to elevate the situation."

Khan was speaking after inaugurating the 8th Global Conference on Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries organised by ICAR- Central Institute for Fisheries Technology, Society Of Fisheries Technologists (India) [SOFTI) Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries Section of Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) at Kochi. The conference's topic is 'Shaping the Future: Gender Justice for Sustainable Aquaculture and Fisheries'. (ANI)