In 5 -9 June, the first-ever Ocean Conference will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. In the lead-up to the Oceans Conference, UN Women visited the island state of Seychelles, to document how women are leading marine conservation and sustainable use of the ocean.
Healthy oceans are key to conserving the health and wellbeing of our planet, and important sources of livelihoods for billions around the world, including women. Although women make up about half the workforce in processing, cleaning and trading fish, in 2014, they accounted for only 19 per cent of all people directly engaged in catching or harvesting of wild fish and in fish farming.
Typically, women in the fishery sector are largely concentrated in low-skilled, low-paid, seasonal jobs without health, safety and labour rights protections. Women also earn approximately 64 per cent of men’s wages for the same work in aquaculture, and face the risks of ocean degradation with less resources on hand to build resilience.
In many parts of the world, women’s contribution, both towards ocean-based livelihoods and conservation efforts, are invisible. UN Women works to address women’s and girl’s vulnerability to climate change and make them leaders in sustainable development.
