Women of fishing communities across the world play vital roles in fisheries, and in sustaining their households, communities, social networks and cultures. While these roles are central to maintaining livelihoods and the very activity of fisheries, they often remain unacknowledged and undervalued. Yemaya, the gender and fisheries newsletter from ICSF was initiated in 1999 to draw attention to women’s roles and work in the fisheries and in fishing communities, as well as to initiatives being taken by them to organize and defend their interests and the interests of their communities. It was also to provide a meaningful forum for sharing of experiences, views and strategies. This web dossier compiles selected articles from Yemaya by region—Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, Pacific Islands and North America. The articles, taken together, provide a broad overview of the key issues facing women in the fisheries sector in each region, as well as the local, national and regional initiatives being taken by women’s groups to organize around their concerns.
