On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, celebrated under the auspices of the African Confederation of the Professional Artisanal Fishing Organizations (CAOPA), more than 60 women fishmongers and fish processors from the artisanal sector, representing
organizations from Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Djibouti, Uganda, Mali,Togo, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, the Republic of Guinea, Chad and Morocco, asked the African States, in preparation for the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, planned for 2022, to develop, in a participatory,transparent and gender-sensitive manner, a national – and where appropriate, regional – Plan of Action for the implementation of the FAO guidelines on sustainable artisanal fisheries.
They also reaffirmed that “Women in African artisanal fisheries must claim full participation and equal representation in leading positions within the artisanal fisheries
professional organisations, as well as equal participation in the
decision-making processes for policies that influence their, and their
communities’, living conditions”.
The Entebbe Declaration states:
We, women fish vendors, fishmongers, and fish processors from the African artisanal fishing sector, members of organisations united in the African Confederation of Artisanal Fisheries Professional Organizations (CAOPA), meeting in Entebbe (Uganda) on the eigth (08) of March Two Thousand and Seventeen (2017), on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, declare:
— Whereas, men and women in artisanal fisheries account for over 90% of all people involved in capture fisheries and are considered to be among the most vulnerable people engaged in fisheries;
— Whereas, at global level, Africa comes second after Asia when considering direct and indirect employment provided by artisanal fisheries;
— Whereas women of African artisanal fishing communities are present at all stages of the artisanal fishing value chain: preparation and financing of fishing trips, fish reception, fish processing and marketing. Women are also the pillars of the family, in charge of the education of children and household management. Women play, equally as men do, a key role for ensuring food security and nutrition, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and use of resources;
— Despite their contribution, women in African artisanal fisheries remain marginalised in fisheries organisations, in decision-making processes and in policies that affect their livelihoods. This marginalisation generates numerous difficulties for the women, related to the access to fish for processing, working conditions, appropriate financial services and difficulties to commercialise their products;
— Having regard to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Transforming Our World, adopted by the United Nations in September 2015, which aims to achieve human rights for all, equality between the sexes and the empowerment of women and girls;
— Whereas, several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are highly relevant to fisheries and aquaculture, SDG 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development- is the most relevant for African artisanal fisheries, calling for providing access for artisanal fishers to resources and
markets;
— Considering the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Sustainable artisanal fisheries that advocate for responsible fisheries governance and socio-economic sustainability, with a focus on vulnerable and marginalized groups and people – such as women, children and the elderly, indigenous peoples and groups in situations of food insecurity;
— Welcoming the approval by the FAO Council, on December 9th 2016, of the proposed resolution to declare 2022 the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, which will now be presented to the 40th session of the FAO Conference for adoption;
— Considering that the Strategy of Reform of Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy adopted by the African Union puts a particular emphasis on women working in the artisanal fishing sector, in line with the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on sustainable artisanal
fisheries, recognizing equality and non-discrimination between men and women, participation, inclusiveness of men and women in decision-making;
We, women fish vendors, fishmongers, fish processors and fish farmers from the African artisanal fishing sector, call on the African States, in the process of reforming their fisheries and aquaculture policies, as well as other policies that affect artisanal fisheries, to implement the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Sustainable Artisanal Fisheries in their national and, when appropriate regional, legislations.
— In particular, we call on the African States, in preparation for the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in 2022, to develop, in a participatory, transparent and gender-sensitive manner, a National, and where appropriate, Regional Plan of Action for the implementation of the Guidelines.
— We call on the next Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA III) to be informed and to examine that request.
Finally, we reiterate that women in African artisanal fisheries must claim full participation and equal representation and leading positions within the artisanal fisheries professional organisations, as well as equal participation in decision-making processes for policies that affect their, and their communities’, livelihoods.
Without women’s participation in African artisanal fisheries, there would be no artisanal fisheries;
Without women in African artisanal fisheries, there would be no fish on the plates of the poorest.