THE INVISIBILITY OF ARTISANAL WOMEN FISHERS: AN ANALYSIS OF SOCIOCULTURAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the sociocultural discourse surrounding women in artisanal fishing, in order to understand how these women are made invisible as workers. In practice, women are reduced to expressions such as "assistants" and/or "fishing helpers," when, in fact, they play the same leading role as male fishermen, carrying out the stages before or after the capture of the fish. Thus, their work as fisherwomen significantly impacts the final product. It is also worth remembering the concept of "work," which consists of a set of productive or creative activities that an individual performs to achieve a specific goal. In this sense, even though many fisherwomen do not engage in the actual capture of the fish, they carry out other fundamental activities, from the making of fishing gear to the processing of the fish. Therefore, they deserve legal, social, and cultural recognition for the work they do. This patriarchal and cultural discourse implies that public policies aimed at women as workers hinder their access to basic rights: labor, social security, and health. In this scenario, many social and cultural implications regarding the invisibility of women as artisanal fishers are observed. Therefore, this article was developed through a qualitative bibliographic study using exploratory research, conducting a bibliographic survey on the subject. However, the need to transform this context became evident so that these women can be legally, socially, and culturally recognized as workers engaged in fishing activities. Furthermore, there is a need for mobilization and implementation of public policies aimed at promoting gender equality.