Page 60 - FAO Aquaculture News, May 2021 - No. 63

INFOGRAPHIC: Why Gender equality matters to achieving all 17 SDGs (linked).

Thematic Articles

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been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and made training (target 5.a) is often recognized in development
visible on the international scene. It is all the more urgent interventions and research, universal access to sexual and
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to support women and children (in aquaculture, fishing reproductive health care (target 5.6) in aquaculture and
and processing communities) who face domestic violence, fishing communities is barely addressed. It is also the case
gender-based violence and intimate partner violence of the issues outlined in target 5.2 – Eliminate all harmful
(FAO, 2021). Similarly, it is urgent to address sexual practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female
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exploitation and abuse that occur, for example, through genital mutilation, as these practices are not understood nor
transactional sex practices known as “fish for sex” or “sex for addressed in the fish supply chain. Moreover, target 5.b
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fish”. COVID-19 has also exacerbated women’s and girls’ – Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular
caregiving burden, as they are traditionally responsible for information and communications technology, to promote the
unpaid care and domestic work, which includes not only empowerment of women – echoes the gender digital divide,
cooking and food preparation, cleaning, washing clothes, which highlights gender stereotypes and biases that impact
water and fuel collection, and direct care of children, the women’s and girls’ access to technology and the Internet.
elderly, persons with disabilities and able-bodied adults This is particularly relevant to processing and trade where
but also voluntary community work (UN Women, 2016). women are strongly represented. The lack of access to
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This is reflected in target 5.4 – Recognize and value unpaid gender-responsive technology often results in food loss
care and domestic work through the provision of public and waste and high occupational safety and health risks,
services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the resulting in significant deleterious health implications.
promotion of shared responsibility within the household and
the family as nationally appropriate. Whereas the indicators for target 5.5 – Ensure women’s
full and effective participation and equal opportunities
While women’s lack of access to resources, services, for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political,
credit, finance, infrastructure, education, information, and economic and public life – are predominantly related to
national parliaments, local governments and managerial
6. FAO. 2021. The impact of COVID-19 on fisheries and aquaculture food positions, women’s participation in decision-making
systems, possible responses. Information paper. November 2020. processes and leadership at all levels is fundamental
Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb2537en
7. www2.unwomen.org/-/media/field%20office%20eseasia/docs/
publications/2017/01/unpaid-care-and-domestic-work-en. 9. Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health
pdf?la=en&vs=435 and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme
8. Target 5.a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic of Action of the International Conference on Population and
resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome
other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural documents of their review conferences.
resources, in accordance with national laws. 10. https://igssf.icsf.net/en/yemaya/detail/EN/2270.html?detpag=mapart

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