Power dynamics in marginalized fishing communities shift with women's empowerment
Photo: WorldFish
Women from marginalized fishing communities are among the most disadvantaged, with limited access to education and income opportunities and are often constrained by conservative social norms. Many continue to rely on their husbands for financial support and security.
Joba has always dreamed of continuing her education and improving her life. The 26 year-old from a fishing community in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, has already faced significant challenges in her life. After her father’s death in 2018, financial struggles forced her to leave school at 20. In 2019, she married her husband Giyas, a fisherman. In 2024, she became a participant in WorldFish’s USAID-funded ECOFISH II program. Through the program’s Business Literacy Learning Session, Joba got a second chance at education and she has thrived.
Rashida, a 36-year-old woman from Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. Once fully dependent on her husband's income, her family fell into deeper poverty after her husband, Firoz Ahmed, had to sell his boat following an accident. He began working as a fishing laborer, further straining their financial situation. In 2023, Rashida became a beneficiary of USAID's ECOFISH II.
Joba and Rashida’s journeys illustrate the resilience that can emerge from even the smallest opportunities.
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