Women-led fisheries management - a case study from Bangladesh

Although women constitute 50% of the total population of Bangladesh, only 18% are economically involved in the total labor force. They are involved in diversified work within their homesteads. However, during times of family needs and economic crisis, women are involved in non-traditional jobs. In the fisheries sector, Muslim women are traditionally not involved in fishing but they are involved in fish drying and salting. In the Hindu dominated areas such as Goakhola-Hatiara, women are involved in fish catch as well as the collection of other aquatic resources as one of their livelihood strategies. Women and subsistence fishers are taking the lead in managing a common capture fishery resource in Goakhola-Hatiara with the support from an NGO for perhaps the first time in Bangladesh. However, the role of women in the Beel Management Committee is not well defined. Under the leadership of women the socio-economic conditions have changed and the social capital has increased.