Women's Participation in Productive Economic Activities in the Context of Improving the Socio-Economic Status of Fishermen's Communities in Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Women from fishing families act as work partners for men in a nomadic life at sea. After settling down, the women stay idle at home to look after the children and prepare for the family's daily needs. This research aims to analyze the forms of women's participation in productive economic activities in order to improve the socio-economic status of fishing communities. This research was carried out on women from traditional fishing families in coastal villages in Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. The population of this study were all women from traditional fishing families in coastal villages. Next, village sample selection was carried out purposively, with the criteria being that villages had a traditional fishing population, were easily accessible to the research team, in each sub-district. The data collected was then analyzed using descriptive analysis. The research results show that firstly, women from fishing families naturally have productive economic activities in order to improve their socio-economic status. Second, there are basic skills based on the socio-cultural environment that have been developed by female fishermen, namely: making dried fish, smoked fish, making shrimp paste, making crab sticks, making fish floss, and making fish dumplings/nuggets. And third, there are two groups of forms of productive skills based on the socio-cultural environment that are applicable for female fishermen, namely: (1) Skills that have been developed, and (2) new skills that are innovations from outside, but the raw materials are available in the local environment