Access to resources, opportunity and choice, power and voice, peace and conflict influence the evolution of poverty and gender roles in a community. These are further impacted by political and institutional arrangements, violence and insecurity, economic and social status, and environmental health. Planning and utilization of the coastal and seascape are expected to influence poverty outcomes in coastal zones of developing countries. These outcomes should be viewed from a gender lens to determine how the welfare of different gender and groupings, e.g., women, youth, and men in the coastal areas of developing countries, will be affected by coastal and seascape planning. One such marine spatial plan (MSP) is proposed in the coastal regions of Kenya. Once effected, the proposed MSP is likely to exclude the views and aspirations of the communities on planning and utilization of the marine space if views need to be clearly understood and articulated. To guard against the exclusion of the communities in the marine spatial plan, understanding the poverty and gender perspectives of these communities is imperative in determining how they would like the marine space planned and how they are likely to be influenced by the MSP.

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