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Promoting Gender Equity and Equality Through the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines: Experiences from Multiple Case Studies

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The Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines

Part of the book series: MARE Publication Series ((MARE,volume 14))

Abstract

Gender equity and equality is the fourth guiding principle of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines), and sits within its wider human rights framework. The SSF Guidelines contain acknowledgement of the roles of women in the small-scale fisheries value chain, the need for gender equity and equality in access to human well-being resources, and the need for equal gender participation in fisheries governance. While the inclusion of gender in the SSF Guidelines is unprecedented and encouraging, effective implementation is the critical next step. Part of the implementation process will include the creation of culturally and regionally-specific information that allows local agencies to recognize and prioritize gender needs. To provide an example of the diverse and interacting issues related to the implementation of the gender equity and equality principle, we use case studies and expertise from seven countries and regions. We examine the context-specific issues that should be considered in the implementation process and focus on the many barriers to gender equity and equality in small-scale fisheries. We conclude by outlining the many gender approaches that could be used to implement the SSF Guidelines, and suggest a gender transformative approach. Such an approach focuses on illuminating root causes of gender injustice and inequality, and requires on-going examination of power relationships as well as capacity development for women and marginalized groups.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    These included the Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), the World Forum of Fish Harvesters and Fishworkers (WFF), the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), and the International Planning Committee on Food Sovereignty (IPC), etc.

  2. 2.

    Choudhury 2016. Expert survey response (Bangladesh).

  3. 3.

    Santos 2016. Expert survey response (Brazil).

  4. 4.

    Frangoudes 2016. Expert survey response (European Union).

  5. 5.

    Snyder 2016. Expert survey response (Greenland).

  6. 6.

    Soejima 2016. Expert survey response (Japan).

  7. 7.

    Pita 2016. Expert survey response (Portugal).

  8. 8.

    Cole 2016. Expert survey response (Zambia).

  9. 9.

    WorldFish is an international research organization of fisheries and aquaculture.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Island Fisheries Science Centre, Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Danika Kleiber

  2. Sociology Department, Memorial University Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada

    Marilyn Porter

  3. Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France

    Katia Frangoudes

  4. Dartmouth School of Graduate & Advanced Studies, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA

    Hunter T. Snyder & Hajnalka Petrics

  5. WorldFish, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Afrina Choudhury

  6. WorldFish, Lusaka, Zambia

    Steven M. Cole

  7. National Fisheries University, Shimonoseki, Japan

    Kumi Soejima

  8. University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Cristina Pita

  9. National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Anna Santos

  10. WorldFish, Batu Maung, Malaysia

    Cynthia McDougall

Authors
  1. Danika Kleiber
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  2. Katia Frangoudes
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  3. Hunter T. Snyder
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  4. Afrina Choudhury
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  5. Steven M. Cole
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  6. Kumi Soejima
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  7. Cristina Pita
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  8. Anna Santos
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  9. Cynthia McDougall
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  10. Hajnalka Petrics
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  11. Marilyn Porter
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Correspondence to Danika Kleiber .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Svein Jentoft

  2. Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

    Ratana Chuenpagdee

  3. Development and Knowledge Sociology Working Group, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research – ZMT, Bremen, Germany

    María José Barragán-Paladines

  4. Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy

    Nicole Franz

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Kleiber, D. et al. (2017). Promoting Gender Equity and Equality Through the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines: Experiences from Multiple Case Studies. In: Jentoft, S., Chuenpagdee, R., Barragán-Paladines, M., Franz, N. (eds) The Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines. MARE Publication Series, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55074-9_35

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55074-9_35

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