Empowering women in small-scale fisheries for sustainable food systems in Asia and the Pacific

* This article was first published in the INFOFISH International, Issue 3/2021 (May/June 2021)

Gender equity and equality are fundamental guiding principles in FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines), ideals which are also closely aligned with the overarching objectives and approach in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Women comprise almost half of the workforce in small-scale fisheries; however, their contribution to food security, income generation and community resilience is under-valued. To redress this deficit, gender perspectives need to be mainstreamed into fisheries and aquaculture programmes and policies at the local, national, and international level.

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Women in Dama District, Bua Province, Fiji, head out to catch mud crab at low tide. ©WCS/Margaret Fox