Ms Hok Koy has contributed to sustainable fisheries management in her leadership role. ©FAO/Bettina Gatt

In a community where women are not expected to take up leadership roles when it comes to fisheries, Ms. Koy continues to defy the odds by being elected first as the vice chief of the community fisheries committee (CFC), and as the Chief of the CFC four times. Her experiences tell of how she is breaking the barriers for women in her corner of the world.

Ms. Hok Koy lives in Reussey Keo community in Kratie province. At 66, she has proved to herself and to her community, the invaluable contribution which women can bring to community fisheries management. While she embraces her leadership role now, it was not always this way. When she was selected to join as a member of the CFC in 2003 during the CFC establishment, Ms. Koy refused.

“I was uncertain about what path to take due to the lack of confidence in myself. I did not consider myself a fisher, because I was involved in reselling and processing fish primarily and in agricultural production, but hardly in the actual capture of fish,” said Ms. Koy.

This was not an individual opinion on her part. She says that when elected to leadership in 2005, many doubted her ability to lead, believing that a woman could not perform effectively in what is, a traditionally male-dominated role.

The representation of women within CFi management committees throughout Cambodia is currently less than 17 percent, impeding women’s equal participation in decision-making. Although women and men are involved throughout the fisheries value chain, leadership positions within CFC, such as committee leaders or deputy leaders are rarely occupied by women. Women face gender inequalities when seeking essential managerial roles or participating in fisheries training sessions, primarily due to prevailing social norms limiting their involvement.

Turning the tide

Though she initially refused to take up membership of the CFC, Ms Koy soon recognized that men also faced challenges in navigating their roles and that in the same way, she, just like the men, would simply need to find solutions as she went along. So, despite facing scepticism, Ms. Koy's persistence proved fruitful as she played a crucial role in both guiding and actively participating in the development of her community. She became a member and over time, has been elected as chief of her CFC four times proving that being a woman should never be a barrier to leadership. She has also gone through many technical training sessions, including on gender equality in fisheries.  The male members of the committee are supportive and respectful of her leadership, which has proved invaluable in breaking down gender barriers. They recognize her effectiveness in attracting donors to support the community fisheries initiatives and therefore encouraged Ms Koy in her role as CFC chief.

A balancing act

Ms Koy recognises that holding leadership positions entails a balancing act for most women, whose responsibilities in the home will compete with those of being a leader in the community. She however acknowledges that the two need not be in conflict.

“It's a calling,” she says, “to protect the fisheries, to care for my people and preserve the community's aquatic resources. Commitment is key," she emphasizes. She insists that women should be knowledgeable and capable, as respect is earned through competence.

Ms. Koy has been responsible for taking care for her husband who is blind, her four children and now her grandchildren, preparing food and carrying out household chores. Her family supports her dedication to the CFC even though it is voluntary. Ms. Koy strongly believes that women can manage their multiple roles and make as equal a contribution to community development as men.

She has strengthened the ability of the community to conserve and protect fisheries resources and in so doing is contributing to improving the food security and livelihoods of those in her community during her tenure as CFC Chief. One of Ms. Koy's achievements has been her efforts which led to the making of nearby Lake Boeing Veng into a protected area in 2006, with support from Action Aid. Also under her leadership, the community fishery in Reussey Keo have received two small boats, purchased timber for construction of the fish refugee area, as well as one motorboat, and the necessary equipment to protect their valuable fishing grounds. Ms. Koy's commitment to protect natural resources has driven her to attend national seminars to learn more about conservation and share the knowledge she acquires with her community.

Inspiring and advocating for women

Ms. Koy acknowledges that most people, especially women, are deterred from joining the CFC due to low self-confidence and the lack of salary. She herself has attempted to create alternative livelihood opportunities such as chicken and pig raising to counter the latter. She encourages other women to do the same, although she acknowledges the challenges of convincing traditional fisherfolk that they too can contribute and achieve much.

Through sharing of her story and experiences, Ms. Koy has emerged as a source of inspiration and empowerment for women in her community and beyond. She encourages others to lead with dedication, managing time efficiently, be brave and knowledgeable, and prioritize actions over mere words.

In 2022, she was spoke about her experiences to the Fisheries Administration (FiA) of the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) during a training of trainers workshop which was held in Mondulkiri province. The workshop focused on promoting gender equality and eradicating child labour in community fisheries mechanisms. Together with other female leaders of community fisheries, she provided insights on the reality of women’s empowerment and best practices for women’s leadership in CFi management.

She continues to play an advocacy role, calling for more opportunities for women to enhance their knowledge and skills through training in order to lead and make meaningful contributions to their communities. As part of this she encourages men to support women to join the CFC.

From securing resources for building small infrastructure and funding patrolling activities to inspiring others, Ms Koy continues to contribute greatly to her community.

Gender equality and fisheries co-management in Cambodia

The reforms in Cambodia's fisheries sector in 2001 paved the way for community fisheries co-management as a means of improving the management of local fisheries and ensure local food security. Fast forward to 2023, and 516 CFi, 475 inland and 41 coastal, have been established, with 447 officially registered. Over the past two decades, various co-management mechanisms, including the CFi network, have been implemented to empower communities to oversee their fisheries resources. Women’s co-leadership in the fisheries community development is key.

The Fisheries Administration with technical support from FAO organised the Training of Trainers workshop in 2022 which Ms Koy and ten CFi women leaders attended. The training workshop marked a significant step in implementation of the FiA Policy and Action Plan for gender equality and elimination of child labour. It was held within the framework of the European Union-funded Cambodia Programme for sustainable and inclusive growth in the Fisheries sector: Capture fisheries project, which is being implemented between 2019 and 2024 for the achievement of a more sustainable, climate resilient and inclusive development of Cambodia freshwater and marine fisheries.