Share her burden

In the fisherfolk society there is a gender-based division of labour. In accordance to the division women confine themselves to household affairs and mane control the sea. The Parava women found the central focus of their identity and their social role in the work they perform as wives, mothers and daughters (Kalpana Ram). But they have now broken such barriers and they perform activities like salting, drying and selling fish. They have also resorted to sorting fish. So the domestic tasks, the special responsibilities in the religious sphere and various economic activities have increased their burden three-fold and their health is very much affected.

“The health status of women which includes: the physical, mental and social condition is affected in addition to their biological and physiological problems. There is a definite co-relation between the low status of women and poor health services (Ashok Kumar).

These days when the consciousness about social justice and social equality is on the rise it is proper that men should think of sharing responsibilities at the domestic front also as women share men’s traditional work and responsibilities. But men seem to be very rigid and see household work as the duties of women.

The crucial issue that bothers Parava women is the dowry system. This life-negating practice has blighted the lives of countless women. The best way of delivering a death blow to it is to organize group marriages. This will ease the intensity of dowry burden for poor brides. Group marriages are already conducted in some fishing villages.

(This is an extract from S. Decla’s M. Phil thesis. On the occasion of Women’s Day (March 8) )

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *