It was no easy journey to make fisherwomen’s voices heard, says activist from Fiji

KOCHI

As a community conservationist with the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area Network, the work of Tarusila Veibi, a fisherwoman and welfare worker from the island nation, drew global attention after she challenged governance structures that ignored women’s voices in fisheries.

Speaking at the Eighth Global Conference on Women in Aquaculture and Fisheries (GAF8) in Kochi, she said there were parallels between Kerala and Fiji. The welcoming people, climate, food, and issues related to women in fisheries were some, she was cited as saying by GAF8 organisers in a statement here.  

Ms. Veibi began her journey around 14 years ago by becoming a representative of the Natural Resources Management Committee. It was common for her to be ignored by decision makers and community leaders since she was the only woman representing the district and the province. “As an advocate for women’s rights in the fisherwoman community, it is not always an easy journey. You need [to make] a lot of sacrifices, your time, money, life, and everything,” she said. 

She had to be creative to be heard and began to take time off to attend more meetings before she was able to make other women aware of their rights, she said. 

Ms. Veibi emphasised how vital it was to conserve indigenous fishing knowledge for the community’s cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability. She was also cited as saying that Fiji’s community management plans supporting sustainable fishing practices for women-dominated fisheries, creation of fisherwoman associations, and making women fully involved in decision-making were some of the changes that set off a wave of change in the fishing community.