Title: Success and Failures of Gender Mainstreaming in the Fisheries Sector in Ghana

Abstract

Gender inequality in the aquaculture and fisheries value chain continues to hinder women's participation in economic opportunities and decision-making roles. Despite efforts to incorporate gender perspectives into policies and programmes, full gender equality has not been achieved in the sector. A study conducted in Ghana assessed the successes and failures of gender mainstreaming in the fisheries sector. The study, involving 43 respondents from various subsectors, ages and levels of education, revealed that while most respondents were aware of the importance of gender mainstreaming, they were unsure if it had been integrated into their organization's policies. Efforts to appoint women to leadership roles based on competencies were noted, but substantial portion of the respondents were lacking training in gender mainstreaming. It was recognised that insufficient financial resources and the absence of a designated gender-focal persons to oversee the processes hindered long-term success. Additionally, organizations lacked clear procedures for addressing gender-related issues and sexual harassment, indicating policy gaps.

Successful gender mainstreaming was linked to increasing women's involvement in decision-making, reducing gender disparities, and enhancing women's access to resources and opportunities. However, challenges due to limited resources and deep-rooted traditional gender persist. Advancing gender mainstreaming in the sector requires allocating adequate financial resources, enhancing the capacity of policymakers and implementers, strengthening monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and collecting gender-disaggregated data. Implementing these recommendations can promote greater gender equality and inclusivity in the fisheries sector.