Designing gender-inclusive data systems in small-scale fisheries.

Area of Science:

• Fisheries Science
• Gender Studies
• Development Economics

Background:

• Gender equality is a national objective, but significant data gaps hinder progress.
• These data deficiencies, particularly in sectors like small-scale fisheries, obscure women's contributions.
• Concealed contributions impede efforts to enhance livelihoods, economic development, food security, and environmental sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify systemic changes and specific indicators necessary to close gender data gaps.
• To leverage lessons from the Illuminating Hidden Harvests initiative for practical solutions.
• To advocate for policy changes and inter-agency collaboration to improve gender data collection.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of existing data gaps within the small-scale fisheries sector.
• Identification of required systemic changes and data indicators.
• Exploration of data sourcing from multiple government agencies beyond fisheries departments.

Main Results:

• Systemic changes and specific indicators are identified to fill persistent gender data gaps.
• Multiple data streams from various government sectors (economy, environment, health, etc.) are essential.
• Cross-agency collaboration and policy advocacy are critical for creating an enabling institutional environment.

Conclusions:

• Closing gender data gaps in small-scale fisheries requires a multi-faceted approach.
• Inter-agency cooperation and policy support are vital for accurate data reflection.
• Improved data will better serve the approximately 500 million people dependent on small-scale fisheries.