EVALUATION OF “NO SEX FOR FISH” PROGRAM
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EVALUATION OF “NO SEX FOR FISH” PROGRAM
“No Sex for Fish” is a developmental program that targets women from fishing villages around Lake Victoria. Precisely, a local not-for-profit organization called VIRED (the Victoria Institute for Research on Environment and Development) strives to empower the local women by offering them boats for fishing with the aim of fighting a vice called jaboya (sex for fish) (Davis & Silver, 2019). Accordingly, the program revolves around aspects of poverty, inequality and psychological stress. Following the dramatic drop in the population of fish in Lake Victoria due to overfishing and presence of excess pollutants, locals who’s economy rely primarily on fish face massive problems; high demand for the available fish. Subsequently, the vulnerable persons, especially widows, are ready to do or give anything and everything possible to acquire the valuable resource. Unfortunately, the male persons that tend to dominate the fishing practice take advantage of the situation and oppress the women. Similarly, many vulnerable persons from other parts of the globe encounter same troubles that are perpetrated by the male persons.
Accordingly, the “No Sex for Fish” is a successful development program that focuses on the gender-based violence and oppression in the fight against poverty and improvement of the wellbeing of people (Oyěwùmí, 2005). “No Sex for Fish” clearly states that sex should not be abused as a basis for economic prosperity. Instead, the development program endeavors to economically empower women, thus significantly filling the gap between the rich and the poor. Also, the program succeeds in the fight against detrimental psychological conditions that haunted women, forcing them to engage in risky sexual behaviors (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2017). Initially, the women’s only option was to sell their bodies for the fish since they could not afford to compete with other fish traders with more money. Consequently, the program attracts lots of benefits that entail economic boost, significant decline in the sex trade and psychological wellbeing among the women.
However, the program does not provide a lasting solution to the disastrous economic differences. The women are inspired and ready to fight against the unfortunate oppression due to their gender (Dangarembga & Daniel, 1988). Unfortunately, the program does not ensure continued attainment of income by such women. As a result, most of the women could end up engaging in similar sex trade and face psychological problems as the program comes to an end following the grounding of many boats. Also, some of the women would sell and dispose of livestock and other property they had acquired from the fishing practice to fend for their families, thus rendering them more vulnerable to abuse and other forms of abuse due to poverty. Moreover, the program seems to promote division of resources based on gender by focusing on one gender, the female persons (Peterson & Runyan, 2014). Accordingly, the male persons could feel unvalued and isolated from the project that promotes economic development through provision of fishing boats. Subsequently, the male persons could psychologically, economically and socially suffer because most of them have been struggling to be the dominant gender. Therefore, the program should have reconsidered its processes to ensure that every person in the community benefits and realize sustained economic prosperity.
In conclusion, the “No Sex for Fish” is a great development program that focuses on filling the economic gap in the community. Luckily, the program results in drastic reduction in instances of undesired social practices and psychological problems. Unfortunately, the program does not provide lasting solutions to the problems of economic inequality and gender-based oppression because many women could end up in devastation following stoppage of support by the nonprofit organization. Hence, the program should have reconsidered its processes and strategies to ensure that every person in the society benefits significantly.
References
Dangarembga, T., & Daniel, S. (1988). Nervous conditions (p. 15). London: Women’s Press.
Davis, R., & Silver, M. (2019). No Sex For Fish: How Women In A Fishing Village Are Fighting For Power. Retrieved 9 February 2020, from https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/12/26/789129312/no-sex-for-fish-how-women-in-a-fishing-village-are-fighting-for-powerOyěwùmí, O. (2005). Visualizing the body: Western theories and African subjects. In African Gender Studies A Reader (pp. 3-21). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
Peterson, V. S., & Runyan, A. S. (2014). Gendered Lenses on World Politics. Global Gender Issues in the New Millennium. 4th ed., Boulder: Westview Press. Dilemmas in World Politics, 39-98.
Wilkinson, R. G., & Pickett, K. E. (2017). The enemy between us: The psychological and social costs of inequality. European Journal of Social Psychology, 47(1), 11-24.