Milestones
Significant events in gender and fisheries since the launch of Yemaya in 1999
By Ramya Rajagopalan (ramya.rajagopalan@gmail.com), Programme Associate, ICSF with inputs from ICSF members, Jackie Sunde, Cornelie Quist and Katia Frangoudes
2014: Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradicationthe SSF Guidelinesadopted. These guidelines recognize the importance of adhering to human rights standards and gender equality as fundamental to development and have a special chapter on gender equality
2013: European parliament organizes a public hearing on Developing the Role of Women in Fisheries and Aquaculture’
2012: FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security recognizes the equal tenure rights and access to land, fisheries and forests of women and girls independent of their civil and marital status
2011: The 29th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) approves the development of a new international instrument for small-scale fisheries to complement the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF)
2010: ICSF declares a Shared Gender Agenda’ for sustaining life and livelihoods in fishing communities endorsed by participants from 18 countries, including women fishworkers, representatives of fishworker organizations |and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), activists and researchers
2009: Brazil passes a comprehensive Fisheries and Aquaculture’ law with important implications for women; the Ecuadorian National Assembly enshrines the right to food as a constitutional right
2008: In Chile, woman fishworker Zoila Bustamente elected president of Chilean National Confederation of Artisanal Fishermen (CONAPACH) 2006
2006: Formation of AKTEA, the pan-European network of women’s organizations in fisheries and aquaculture
2000: At the Constituent Assembly of the World Forum of Fish Harvesters and Fish Workers (WFF) held in Loctudy, France, women fishworkers from around the world emphasize the need for co-management of fishery resources and a community approach to the fisheries
