Journal Article•
Gender issues in environmental sustainability and poverty reduction in the community: social and community issues.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored some Pacific island experiences and learned that the consideration and inclusion of gender issues in environmental management and poverty reduction activities is crucial if development programs are to be relevant and sustainable.
Abstract: One of the most important lessons we have learned is that the consideration and inclusion of gender issues in environmental management and poverty reduction activities is crucial if development programs are to be relevant and sustainable. This paper explores some Pacific island experiences. Gender issues vary between Pacific island countries according to geographic locations level of economic development social and cultural norms and values population migration and emigration religion media legal institutions level of education political climate and environments. Different land ownership patterns employment opportunities economic policies and economic resources (agricultural forest and fisheries resources) influence the roles of men and women in Pacific island countries. Short-term export of male and female labour migration of Pacific islanders overseas and rural to urban migration have all had an impact on the roles of men and women. Religious beliefs and the images of men and women projected by the media can either reinforce or weaken gender biases and gender stereotyping in Pacific island countries. Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and constitutional and legal provisions have affected men in different ways across the Pacific. The level and quality of education for boys and girls creates gender differences as do the gender stereotypes in the curriculum. Commitment of Pacific island countries to the advancement of women including the provision of resources to promote affirmative action and the provision of mechanisms to facilitate active and full participation of women in the development process are major factors influencing gender relations. (excerpt)
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TL;DR: The authors examined the importance of gender to the understanding of marine ecology, identifying 106 case studies of small-scale fisheries from the last 20 years that detail the participation of women in fishing (data on women fishers being the most common limiting factor to gender analysis).
Abstract: Marine ecosystem–scale fisheries research and management must include the fishing effort of women and men. Even with growing recognition that women do fish, there remains an imperative to engage in more meaningful and relevant gender analysis to improve socio-ecological approaches to fisheries research and management. The implications of a gender approach to fisheries have been explored in social approaches to fisheries, but the relevance of gender analysis for ecological understandings has yet to be fully elaborated. To examine the importance of gender to the understanding of marine ecology, we identified 106 case studies of small-scale fisheries from the last 20 years that detail the participation of women in fishing (data on women fishers being the most common limiting factor to gender analysis). We found that beyond gender difference in fishing practices throughout the world, the literature reveals a quantitative data gap in the characterization of gender in small-scale fisheries. The descriptive details of women’s often distinct fishing practices nonetheless provide important ecological information with implications for understanding the human role in marine ecosystems. Finally, we examined why the data gap on women’s fishing practices has persisted, detailing several ways in which commonly used research methods may perpetuate biased sampling that overlooks women’s fishing. This review sheds light on a new aspect of the application of gender research to fisheries research, with an emphasis on ecological understanding within a broader context of interdisciplinary approaches.
238 citations
Cites background from "Gender issues in environmental sust..."
...…practices serves as a critical step to overcome the well documented marginalization of women in fisheries related management institutions and practices, including both international programs (Harrison 1997), as well as more localized community based management initiatives (Seniloli et al. 2002)....
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...We suggest that a fuller appreciation of women’s diverse fishing roles and practices serves as a critical step to overcome the well documented marginalization of women in fisheries related management institutions and practices, including both international programs (Harrison 1997), as well as more localized community based management initiatives (Seniloli et al. 2002)....
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...For instance in Tuvalu a trochus reintroduction program failed when the fisheries manager neglected to discuss the plan with women who unknowingly gleaned the introduced animals (Seniloli et al. 2002)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the catch and effort estimates are often built on incomplete data because they overlook the fishing of minority or marginalized groups, and women do participate in small-scale fisheri...
Abstract: Small-scale fisheries catch and effort estimates are often built on incomplete data because they overlook the fishing of minority or marginalized groups. Women do participate in small-scale fisheri...
52 citations
Cites background from "Gender issues in environmental sust..."
...when managers neglected to inform women fishers, who, unaware of the management plan, gleaned the introduced animals (Seniloli et al. 2002)....
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01 Jan 2017
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors 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.
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.
40 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used household, fisher, landing and underwater surveys to compare their sensitivity and adaptive capacity to assess how biological and socio-economic conditions influence vulnerability, or a community's susceptibility to loss and consequent ability to adapt.
23 citations
Cites background from "Gender issues in environmental sust..."
...When creating an MPA, it is important to consider the activities of non-boatusing fishers because in Tuvalu, fisheries managers failed to share the trochus reintroduction program with women gleaners, who collected the introduced animals, resulting in program failure (Seniloli and Taylor, 2002)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, a participatory resource mapping study was conducted with local community, including important stakeholders in Ekondo-Titi subregion of Cameroon, to identify the spatial occurrence of livelihood values through participatory resources mapping, their changes over time and alternatives for sustainable management.
Abstract: Increasingly, the multiplicity of products, services, and values, and the diversity of interests from different resource users and groups, is being acknowledged as vital for sustainable use. This calls for a shift from protection to sustainable use and to resource-user focus. The aim of this study is to identify the spatial occurrence of livelihood values through participatory resource mapping, their changes over time and alternatives for sustainable management. A participatory resource mapping study was conducted with local community, including important stakeholders in Ekondo-Titi subregion of Cameroon. The research technique which focused on gender revealed different patterns of forest resources and changes on the landscape. The study concludes that the importance of resources varies between men and women in Ekondo-Titi subregion of Cameroon, implying that resources may have multipurpose functions, but its exact role depends on the needs of the user groups that utilize them. The divergence of opinion on certain resources is a clear indication of preferences that are gender motivated. The study also revealed that the greatest impact of land use change is the conversion of forest land into agriculture.
9 citations
Cites background from "Gender issues in environmental sust..."
...[67], regarding gender differences in patterns of resource use....
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