Unveiling gender disparities: the role of women in transforming small-scale fisheries

Abstract

Issues of equity and social justice have never been more urgent than they are today, as global social disparity continues to rise.The small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector, long neglected by top- down policies and mainstream markets, remains essential to thelivelihoods of millions worldwide. In this context, equity challenges are particularly pressing. This study examines Brazil's SSFsector, focusing on gender dynamics and disparities. Home to the largest SSF population in the Americas, Brazil ranks amongthe top countries globally in fisherwomen—with nearly 900,000 women engaged in the sector, representing half of its SSFworkforce. Despite their numbers and contributions to sustainable practices, such as low bycatch rates and minimal fuel usage,fisherwomen consistently earn less than men and are largely overlooked in social protection policies. Our analysis reveals a his-torical and persistent underrepresentation in policy, fishery- dependent research, and social science, culminating in legal andeconomic imbalances—particularly in regions where fisherwomen form the majority, such as the North and Northeast. This re-sults in reduced access to fisheries- derived income and management benefits compared to fishermen. Moreover, fisherwomenremain underrepresented in decision-making processes, despite their work aligning with key Sustainable Development Goals,including poverty reduction, gender equality, and sustainable resource management. This study offers recommendations be-yond policy, including capacity-building initiatives and implementation of gender- disaggregated data systems to advance eq-uity and social justice for Brazilian fisherwomen, providing a potential model for nations facing similar socio- environmentalchallenges. It aims to catalyse global dialogue and inclusive reforms that recognise, protect, and empower women in small-scale fisheries.