The Hindu : `Focus to be on women's empowerment'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 18, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kollam

`Focus to be on women's empowerment'

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM, JAN. 17. The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) in association with the P.N. Panicker Manavavikas Kendra has completed a detailed survey of the coastal belt in the district with the aim of implementing an integrated development project for self-sustained development of the fishing community.

At a press conference here today, the JSS director, N. Balagopal, said the project, which would be formally launched by the Fisheries Minister, K.V. Thomas, at a function here on January 20, would give special emphasis to women's empowerment.

The survey had focussed on the standard of living of the fisherfolk in the district to evaluate their position with respect to health, environment, education and income. The survey covered more than 3,000 families in the coastal pockets of Pallithottam, Thirumullavaram, Vadi and Kovilthottam. The study noted that in spite of the State's development in the sectors of education, health, life expectancy, social protection and population control, the people in the coastal belt had not fully benefited from these advances. Even though many from the coastal belt had received basic formal education, they were unable to sustain their literacy and hence had gradually become illiterate. The survey moots a detailed health study in these areas and more medical care free of cost. Most of the fishing hamlets did not have proper toilet facilities and this has had an adverse impact on the environment. The majority of the women in the coastal areas were found to be illiterate. Most of the families had more than five members each. According to the survey, there was even a family with 15 members. Hence, the project would focus on women's empowerment.

Many of the families did not have access to fresh drinking water. Lack of proper housing facilities and sufficient living space were some of the other problems. As a result, most of the male folk were sleeping on the beach. Many of the houses, noted the study, were located on land with no `pattayam'. Thus, though some of them had built houses, they could not claim its ownership. The survey stresses on the need for taking steps to give them the ownership of the land on which their houses were built.

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