Tunis/Rome - Global normative instruments based on human rights can strengthen stakeholders’ capacities in building a sustainable blue economy, FAO said in a workshop dedicated to this theme held in Tunisia on 21 March. During the event, the crucial role of small-scale fisheries to the realization of the right to adequate food was emphasized.

The workshop counted with the participation of a representative of the Secretariat for Maritime Affairs and the consultant in charge of the elaboration of the national blue economy strategy, which is expected to be finalized this year.

Marie-Lara Hubert-Chartier, FAO Right to Food Specialist, opened the workshop by introducing various international instruments and initiatives as major achievements in the effort to ensure food security and nutrition for all. These include the Right to Food Guidelines, the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines (SSF Guidelines), the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT) , the Code of conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the Blue Growth Initiative.

These instruments help ensure the progressive realization of the human right to adequate food for all, contributing to equitable, inclusive and sustainable development and poverty alleviation. They advocate for a human rights-based approach (HRBA) to food security and nutrition, which calls for programmatic actions to follow human rights principles. Moreover, they promote the empowerment and non-discriminatory participation of communities in decision-making processes, emphasizing benefits for vulnerable and marginalized groups.

“These instruments complement one another, which allows for synergetic implementation that improves policy coherence for food security and nutrition in the small-scale fisheries sector”, Hubert-Chartier added.

Small in scale, big in value

Small-scale fisheries are an important source of food, nutrition, employment and livelihoods for millions of people around the globe. They also play a key role in a society’s culture and identity and in some countries are among the sole sources of food and nutrition that can ensure the realization of the right to adequate food.

However, small-scale fishing communities face multiple challenges that put at risk their human right to food. They tend to be located in remote areas and suffer from poor access to health, education and other social services that limit their social development. They are often affected by climate change, power imbalances and armed conflict, which force them to leave their houses. Concurrently, as the world population grows, the demand for fish increases and natural resources are increasingly under pressure.

“Recognizing the high potential of small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture is an imperative to poverty eradication, inequalities reduction, human well-being and agri-food systems transformation”, underlined FAO Fishery Officer Joseph Zelasney.

In 2022, the observance of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) is a great opportunity to promote and celebrate a world in which small-scale artisanal fishers, fish farmers and fish workers are fully recognized and empowered to continue their contributions to human well-being, healthy food systems and poverty eradication through the responsible and sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture resources.

It is everyone’s business

Promoting the sustainability of the fisheries sector and the human rights of their communities is a responsibility of everyone, including governments and private sector.

States hold the primary responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, including the progressive realization of the right to food. The duty extends to all state functions, such as parliamentarians, ministries, local authorities, courts, the police, nurses, teachers and any other workers delivering a service on behalf of the state.

Besides, the state should ensure compliance by third parties, such as the private sector, and in the event of abuses and violations, ensure that they are held accountable and provide redress.

Making human rights effective on the ground

In the Mediterranean, small-scale fisheries predominantly make up the fisheries sector. In Tunisia, they account for 92% of total fleet and up to 76% of employment in fishing. But their work is commonly undervalued when compared to larger scale fisheries and other sectors.

In this context, Tunisia set up in February 2022 a commission on  blue economy, as part of the Development Plan 2023-2025. The commission, which includes several ministries, is responsible for designing sustainable economic activities and promoting the creation of new jobs for youth.

FAO is committed to assisting the commission's works. Last March, the Organization took part in a consultation meeting with the Secretary of Maritime Affairs to inform about the projects carried out in the framework of the Blue Growth initiative and the Blue Transformation approach.

Since 2021, FAO has also supported Tunisia in the uptake of global instruments towards the achievement of sustainable development in fisheries, in the framework of the Flexible Multi Partner Mechanism (FMM).