IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v140y2021ics0305750x20304769.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Gender equality is diluted in commitments made to small-scale fisheries

Author

Listed:
  • Lawless, Sarah
  • Cohen, Philippa J.
  • Mangubhai, Sangeeta
  • Kleiber, Danika
  • Morrison, Tiffany H.

Abstract

Gender equality is a mainstream principle of good environmental governance and sustainable development. Progress toward gender equality in the fisheries sector is critical for effective and equitable development outcomes in coastal countries. However, while commitments to gender equality have surged at global, regional and national levels, little is known about how this principle is constructed, and implemented across different geographies and contexts. Consequently, progress toward gender equality is difficult to assess and navigate. To identify influential policy instruments (n = 76), we conducted key-informant interviews with governance actors engaged in small-scale fisheries (n = 26) and gender and development (n = 9) sectors across the Pacific Islands region. We systematically analysed these instruments according to (1) representations of gender and gender equality, (2) rationales for pursing gender, and (3) gender strategies and actions. We found that fisheries policy instruments frequently narrowed the concept of gender to a focus on women, whereas gender and development policy instruments considered gender as diverse social identities, norms and relations. In fisheries policy instruments, rationales for pursuing gender equality diverged substantially yet, overall the principle was predominantly pursued for instrumental (i.e., improved environmental outcomes) rather than intrinsic (i.e., an inherent value in fairness) reasons. Over two-thirds of gender equality strategies focused on an organization’s own human resourcing and project assessments, rather than on direct action within communities, or for women and men reliant on fisheries. Our findings illustrate gender equality commitments and investments to be narrow and outdated. Critical shifts in dominant gender equality narratives and objectives, and an embrace of multi-level strategies, provide opportunities for fisheries governance and development agendas to rise to current best practice, and ultimately make meaningful (opposed to rhetorical) progress toward gender equality. The methodological approach we develop holds value for other development sectors to critically examine, and subsequently enhance, commitment toward gender equality.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawless, Sarah & Cohen, Philippa J. & Mangubhai, Sangeeta & Kleiber, Danika & Morrison, Tiffany H., 2021. "Gender equality is diluted in commitments made to small-scale fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:140:y:2021:i:c:s0305750x20304769
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105348
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X20304769
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105348?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rao, Nitya, 2017. "Assets, Agency and Legitimacy: Towards a Relational Understanding of Gender Equality Policy and Practice," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 43-54.
    2. Nunan, Fiona, 2006. "Empowerment and institutions: Managing fisheries in Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 1316-1332, July.
    3. Ana María Muñoz Boudet & Patti Petesch & Carolyn Turk & Angélica Thumala, 2013. "On Norms and Agency : Conversations about Gender Equality with Women and Men in 20 Countries," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13818, December.
    4. World Bank, 2012. "Hidden Harvest : The Global Contribution of Capture Fisheries," World Bank Publications - Reports 11873, The World Bank Group.
    5. Kruijssen, F. & Albert, J.A. & Morgan, M. & Boso, D. & Siota, F. & Sibiti, S. & Schwarz, A.J., 2013. "Livelihoods, markets, and gender roles in Solomon Islands: case studies from Western and Isabel Provinces," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 40279, April.
    6. Jentoft, Svein & Chuenpagdee, Ratana, 2009. "Fisheries and coastal governance as a wicked problem," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 553-560, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Elin Torell & Chikondi Manyungwa-Pasani & Danielle Bilecki & Innocent Gumulira & Gordon Yiwombe, 2021. "Assessing and Advancing Gender Equity in Lake Malawi’s Small-Scale Fisheries Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Mangubhai, Sangeeta & Lawless, Sarah & Cowley, Anna & Mangubhai, Jayshree P. & Williams, Meryl J., 2022. "Progressing gender equality in fisheries by building strategic partnerships with development organisations," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    3. Enyang Besong Susan & Manases Mbengwor Natu, 2023. "Re-imagining the Gender Gap in Economic Participation and Opportunities: Assessing the Link Between Sustainable Development and Gender Equality in Some African Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 817-845, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Freitas, Carolina T. & Espírito-Santo, Helder M.V. & Campos-Silva, João Vitor & Peres, Carlos A. & Lopes, Priscila F.M., 2020. "Resource co-management as a step towards gender equity in fisheries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Mangubhai, Sangeeta & Lawless, Sarah & Cowley, Anna & Mangubhai, Jayshree P. & Williams, Meryl J., 2022. "Progressing gender equality in fisheries by building strategic partnerships with development organisations," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    3. Seamus Murphy & Diksha Arora & Froukje Kruijssen & Cynthia McDougall & Paula Kantor, 2020. "Gender-based market constraints to informal fish retailing: Evidence from analysis of variance and linear regression," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-16, March.
    4. Bifani, Paolo & Agardy, Tundi & Vivas Eugui, David & Jaramillo, Lorena & Gómez- García, René & Vignati, Federico, . "Blue BioTrade: Harnessing Marine Trade to Support Ecological Sustainability and Economic Equity," Books, CAF Development Bank Of Latinamerica, number 1415.
    5. Cleasby, Nathan & Schwarz, Anne-Maree & Phillips, Michael & Paul, Chris & Pant, Jharendu & Oeta, Janet & Pickering, Tim & Meloty, Alex & Laumani, Michael & Kori, Max, 2014. "The socio-economic context for improving food security through land based aquaculture in Solomon Islands: A peri-urban case study," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 89-97.
    6. Voyer, Michelle & Gollan, Natalie & Barclay, Kate & Gladstone, William, 2015. "‘It׳s part of me’; understanding the values, images and principles of coastal users and their influence on the social acceptability of MPAs," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 93-102.
    7. World Bank, 2012. "Uganda : Country Environmental Analysis," World Bank Publications - Reports 12407, The World Bank Group.
    8. Duncan, Nicolette & de Silva, Sanjiv & Conallin, John & Freed, Sarah & Akester, Michael & Baumgartner, Lee & McCartney, Matthew & Dubois, Mark & Senaratna Sellamuttu, Sonali, 2021. "Fish for whom?: Integrating the management of social complexities into technical investments for inclusive, multi-functional irrigation," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).
    9. Mucahid Mustafa Bayrak & Tran Hieu & Thong Anh Tran & Yi-Ya Hsu & Tung Nien & Dang Thi Thanh Quynh, 2023. "Climate change adaptation responses and human mobility in the Mekong Delta: local perspectives from rural households in An Giang Province, Vietnam," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Constanza Gonzalez Parrao & Marta Moratti & Shannon Shisler & Birte Snilstveit & John Eyers, 2021. "PROTOCOL: Aquaculture for improving productivity, income, nutrition and women's empowerment in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review and meta‐analysis," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(3), September.
    11. Domenico Dentoni & Verena Bitzer & Greetje Schouten, 2018. "Harnessing Wicked Problems in Multi-stakeholder Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(2), pages 333-356, June.
    12. Martin Bohle & Cornelia E. Nauen & Eduardo Marone, 2019. "Ethics to Intersect Civic Participation and Formal Guidance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, February.
    13. Parés, Claudio & Dresdner, Jorge & Salgado, Hugo, 2015. "Who should set the total allowable catch? Social preferences and legitimacy in fisheries management institutions," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 36-43.
    14. Chris Desmond & Kathryn Watt & Sara Naicker & Jere Behrman & Linda Richter, 2024. "Girls' schooling is important but insufficient to promote equality for boys and girls in childhood and across the life course," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 42(1), January.
    15. World Bank Group, 2015. "Bolivia," World Bank Publications - Reports 23829, The World Bank Group.
    16. Rehema Namaganda & Christopher Mbazira, 2023. "Trade and Wealth-Based Approach to Fisheries in Uganda: Impact on Livelihoods and Rights of Local Communities," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 66(1), pages 116-122, June.
    17. Schutter, Marleen S. & Hicks, Christina C. & Phelps, Jacob & Belmont, Clara, 2021. "Disentangling ecosystem services preferences and values," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    18. Nicola Jones & Elizabeth Presler-Marshall & Guday Kassahun & Meti Kebede Hateu, 2020. "Constrained choices: Exploring the complexities of adolescent girls’ voice and agency in child marriage decisions in Ethiopia," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 20(4), pages 296-311, October.
    19. Dirk J. Steenbergen & Hampus Eriksson & Kimberley Hunnam & David J. Mills & Natasha Stacey, 2019. "Following the fish inland: understanding fish distribution networks for rural development and nutrition security," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(6), pages 1417-1432, December.
    20. Torell, Elin C. & Jamu, Daniel M. & Kanyerere, Geoffrey Z. & Chiwaula, Levison & Nagoli, Joseph & Kambewa, Patrick & Brooks, Alan & Freeman, Peter, 2020. "Assessing the economic impacts of post-harvest fisheries losses in Malawi," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:140:y:2021:i:c:s0305750x20304769. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.