Healers of the Ocean: Women in Asia-Pacific are critical to marine stewardship

The first UN Ocean Conference, which is being held in New York this week, is exploring new ways to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water).

Most of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals have a deadline of 2030, but the deadlines for the targets under Goal 14 are 2020 and 2025, giving them a greater sense of urgency.

One side event at the Conference looked at how women, particularly in the Asia-Pacific, contribute to ocean leadership, management, conservation and science. Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), UN Environment and 15 other partners, the event was titled Healers of our Ocean: Asia-Pacific women leading ocean action to achieve SDG14. How can we learn from them? 

“Ocean management without women will not work,” says UN Environment expert Tiffany Straza, who chaired the event. “Ocean management with women will work better, for more people, for the longer term because it is based on larger community consensus.”

Straza invited participants to share lessons and strategies on how women’s inclusion can create more effective ocean management for all.

In Asia-Pacific, women are often the dominant users of marine resources, with some becoming marine specialists – but much more can be done. The workshop noted the need to identify gaps or barriers, and solutions, focusing on women and girls in the developing world.

Ocean health is affected by actions on land and in many sectors and industries. Integrated management seeks to acknowledge these multiple uses and impacts, for more effective results. Integration should also include the diverse user groups, including women and indigenous people.

 

Participants called for countries to commit to include women in integrated ocean management planning, using best-practice strategies in acknowledgement of diverse and unique cultures. They also discussed the need for action on several fronts:

• Building gender inclusivity and equality into project planning and community development work in the Asia-Pacific region;
• Investing in basic science, engineering, technology and mathematics education for girls and women in the region; and
• Supporting the inclusion of women and minorities in social, professional and political roles at all levels.

As part of this effort, the event partners, led by UN Environment, are collecting stories of ocean action by women in Asia-Pacific. Learn more here.

Although most Pacific island countries have small populations and economies, they are Large Ocean Island States. The SPREP Member countries are responsible for managing more than 10 per cent of the planet’s oceans within their Exclusive Economic Zones. The ecosystem services provided to the entire planet by the ocean in the SPREP region are valued at many billions of dollars annually.

Perspectives from Sweden to the Solomon Islands

(This section draws heavily on reporting by the International Institute for Sustainable Development.)

Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment, Sweden, emphasized Sweden’s commitment to gender equality in implementing of all the Sustainable Development Goals. She highlighted the need to consider how land actions affect ocean health; the importance of women having an equal part in decision-making on sustainable development, whether on land or in the ocean; and the importance of "Ocean Literacy" to Goal 14 implementation.

Cristelle Pratt, Deputy Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum, said the involvement of women is essential to implementing Goal 14, and this principle is enshrined in the ocean management instruments of the Pacific region. She noted the Pacific Ocean Alliance and urged everyone interested in ocean management to join it.

 

Tarusila Veibi, Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area Network, discussed her role as the sole female representative for her province on a resource committee. She highlighted local success stories in protecting mangrove habitats and in promoting sustainable fishing practices and alternative sustainable livelihoods.

Rindah Melsen, President, Nusatuva Women’s Savings Club, Solomon Islands, spoke on the importance of fisheries to island livelihoods and food security, the roles women play, and how her community savings club encourages women and girls to explore alternative sources of income and livelihood.

Wendy Watson-Wright, the CEO of Canada’s Ocean Frontier Institute, discussed the importance of creating female heroes, or “she-roes,” and the Institute’s efforts to promote greater female participation in ocean research and management.

Carol Phua of the World Wildlife Fund-Netherlands introduced the “Ocean Witness” initiative, which seeks to amplify and empower the voices of people experiencing first-hand the changes to the ocean.

Participants also discussed the importance of incorporating gender dimensions in all Ocean Conference discussions and partnershi p dialogues; the need for strengthening “Southern” civil society organizations so they can take up the promotion of gender equity; and the importance of addressing the special challenges facing indigenous women leaders.

Website of the Ocean Conference

Press release

For further information: Sefanaia.Nawadra [at] unep.org