Empowering youth to address violence against women and girls
Along the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, people depend on fishing to make ends meet, but this reliance exposes many women and girls to harmful practices. To help address this problem, FISH4ACP joined forces with local authorities and the Sokoine University of Agriculture to train students on how to combat gender inequality.
The training aimed to address harsh realities women and girls face in Lake Tanganyika fishing communities, including domestic violence and sexual coercion in the marketplace. A gender specialist led sessions at 12 local schools with more than 300 primary and secondary school children, 60 teachers, and 12 district education and fisheries officers in attendance.
“Fisheries provide food and income for our families,” Rose Kenneth Magwaza, a student at Karema Primary School said. Like many of her classmates, she sometimes helps her family with fishing-related tasks. Gender barriers in the fishing sector, however, can put girls at risk of discrimination and harassment. “The training broadened our understanding of gender-based violence and the importance of reporting incidents," she explained.
A study conducted in 2023 under the FISH4ACP project revealed that social norms, power imbalances, and economic challenges continue to limit women’s roles in fishing activities in these communities, as fishing is traditionally perceived as a male-dominated profession, which often excludes women from key decision-making roles along the value chain. Their limited access to finance and markets further prevents them from owning boats and fishing gear, restricting their ability to obtain fish for processing. As a result, some women resort to transactional sexual relationships to access fish at reduced or no cost. The study found that such relationships sometimes concern young girls, leading to early/unwanted pregnancies, child marriages and school dropouts.
During the trainings, the specialist assessed the children’s understanding of gender inequality and its consequences, teaching them how to report cases of violence. The children also learned skills related to conflict resolution and trust building, as well as how to form gender clubs at their schools. These clubs will serve as a safe space for students to prevent and respond to gender-related issues long-term. Twelve gender clubs were established, and two students were elected to lead the club at each of the schools.
"I believe that gender clubs can help students and teachers deal with gender-based violence,” Mr. Sangu William, a headmaster at Kirando Primary School stated. By providing students with resources to approach gender barriers, he believes the clubs can reduce cases of violence and minimize school dropout rates.
As part of the training, students were also introduced to topics such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship, marketing, aquaculture and fish processing to help them learn new skills that could prove valuable in navigating a future career in the fish sector.
Championing a holistic approach
The trainings used an approach developed by FAO that aims to address the root causes of gender inequality. This holistic method, known as the “Gender Transformative Approach,” incorporates gender awareness into every aspect of community life, from education to business practices, including those related to fisheries and agriculture. They also serve as part of an ongoing effort by FISH4ACP, an initiative of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, implemented by FAO with funding from the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), to address gender inequality in Lake Tanganyika fisheries communities.
FISH4ACP is working to strengthen sardine, sprat and perch fisheries by increasing opportunities for small-scale fishers, processors and traders, particularly women. Previously, FISH4ACP trained local government officers, fisheries stakeholders, and the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries to mainstream gender in government activities and support women and youth in the fisheries sector. The initiative also strengthened the Lake Tanganyika chapter of the Tanzania Women in Fish Workers Association (TAWFA) by training women in leadership and management.