Women’s voices in fisheries governance for climate-resilient food systems in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste is highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters, with a food system heavily reliant on imports, contributing to widespread malnutrition, particularly among women and children. Fisheries, managed appropriately, can provide a climate-resilient source of nutrients and income to the vulnerable households, as fish can still be harvested from the sea during natural disasters or food system disruptions and during COVID – 19 pandemics, ensuring food availability and stability in local contexts. However, the sector remains maledominated, and women’s critical roles, such as gleaning aquatic foods, processing and trading, are often overlooked in policy and governance. We present a project aimed at fostering women’s participation in fisheries governance by establishing co-management committees in coastal communities. These committees ensure women’s representation and members are trained in climate-smart practices for coastal resource management. Through the committees, communities participate in trainings in fish processing and business literacy, strengthening resilient livelihoods with gender sensitive technologies while promoting the nutritional value of aquatic foods, particularly for pregnant and lactating women and young children. The project estimated the contribution of gleaning and fisheries to local diets by analysing the nutrient content of 32 aquatic species caught by both women and men fishers and quantifying their consumption. This research demonstrates that these resources are vital for year-round nutrition security and highlights the importance of gleaning in local food systems. Incorporating women’s knowledge and practices into coastal management is essential to enhancing food security and the sustainability of marine resources. By fostering the participation of women in co-management committees and valorising gleaning, we make a compelling case for including women’s voices in fisheries governance to support climate resilience and enhance food systems’ sustainability.