In 2004, para-military forces known as Rangers illegally occupied numerous fresh water bodies in the Indus Delta, Pakistan, depriving local communities of their fishing livelihoods. In need, the fishermen sought the help of Tahira Ali Shah, the the senior vice-chairperson of the Pakistan Fisher-Folk Forum (PFF). Shah helped to break the longstanding gender bias that women should not be on the front lines of political struggle, so that when the day came to stand up to the Rangers, women and men succeeded in reclaiming their waters – shoulder to shoulder. On the eve of International Rivers Day on March 14, 2012, Shah led a historic people’s caravan under the banner “Keep Rivers Free” as part of a year-long campaign to restore the Indus River. Since her death in 2015, Tahira has been remembered for her tireless work.
