https://fiji.wcs.org RSS feeds for WCS Fiji 60 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/16449/Redefining-Impact-and-Success-in-Science-to-Dismantle-a-Discriminatory-Reward-System.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=16449 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=16449&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/16449/Redefining-Impact-and-Success-in-Science-to-Dismantle-a-Discriminatory-Reward-System.aspx A 2020 study highlighted that the citation gap between genders was skewed a full 30 percent in favour of male scientists across thirteen STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine) disciplines. Other studies have highlighted sex-specific conscious and unconscious biases that lead to a higher rate of manuscript rejections and lower rate of publication in prestigious journals for women.  Discussions of a broken value system are prevalent across different fields of science and research, and are exposing deeply-entrenched, systemic sexism and racism. While equity within science has made some advancements, the system remains outdated, colonialist and patriarchal. It overemphasises contributions of males and fails to take into account the breadth of an individual’s meaningful scientific impacts outside of scientific literature—especially the contributions of women, non-binary genders, and other marginalised groups.  For a new paper published in PLoS Biology, I joined a group of 23 other women from different geographies and backgrounds to review the narrow definitions of success and impact in science that can have consequences for careers in science, especially for systemically marginalized groups, including women. In doing this, we wanted to let the evidence and data speak for itself.  We found that the current “publish or perish” model narrowly rewards quantity of publications, citations rates, and journal impact factors, and can determine career advancement, particularly in academia. However, the lack of gender balance and ethnic diversity amongst scientists being cited is not reflective of capacity and ability, but the historical demographics of departments and faculties in universities and research institutions.  Publication metrics are also revealing biases against ethnically diverse scientists, who experience lower acceptance rates, are less likely to be cited by other authors, and are required to have a high level of English proficiency or funding to get editorial support.  This is further exacerbated by “parachute or helicopter science” – terms used to describe international scientists with greater access to funding and scientific opportunity, conducting field studies in lower income countries in a manner that undermines and undervalues the roles and contributions to local scientists (usually from the Global South). The larger implications of gender and racial biases is that it limits innovation and advancement by failing to capitalize on diverse voices, talents, perspectives, knowledge systems and approaches to address the pressing needs of the planet. An alternative vision is to build a new academic model that values the recruitment and retention of diverse scientists through fostering safe and healthy work environments. This includes healthy inclusive mentoring practices such as sponsoring, counselling, networking, and advocating for mentees to support them in their STEMM careers. Institutions should therefore create a culture that promotes the wellness of its staff and students, especially those from marginalized groups.  In order to transform STEMM systems, members of the global scientific community, especially those in positions of power and privilege, need to recognize and reject all forms of systematic biases, especially towards women and marginalized groups, and adopt a wider scientific value system that measures success and impact beyond citations.  This new model should recognize non-academic science careers, teaching, mentoring, and contributions to critical policy and decision-making. Investments in mentoring, and the contributions of mentors and the achievements of mentees, need greater recognition and should not be limited to, for example, students or those in the early parts of their career.  Adoption of better practice means making meaningful and not tokenistic collaborations with others, especially those who are marginalized or in countries with low income and opportunities.  Transforming institutional value systems, cultures and practices towards a system that values justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion is critical for the scientific advancement of humankind. This may require awards and incentives that recognize and reward authentic efforts to do so, create mechanisms to monitor implementation, and adapt and initiate positive spaces for dialogue where diverse voices and opinions are valued and matter.Citation: Davies SW, Putnam HM, Ainsworth T, Baum JK, Bove CB, Crosby SC, Côté IM, Duplouy A, Fulweiler RW, Griffin AJ, Hanley TC, Hill T, Humanes A, Mangubhai S, Metaxas A, Parker LM, Rivera HE, Silbiger NJ, Smith NS, Spalding AK, Traylor-Knowles N, Weigel BL, Wright RM, Bates AE (2021) Promoting inclusive metrics of success and impact to dismantle a discriminatory reward system in science. PLoS Biol. 19(6): e3001282. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001282 Sangeeta Mangubhai Fri, 06 Aug 2021 20:36:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:16449 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/16144/Study-provides-new-insights-into-village-water-committees-in-Fiji.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=16144 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=16144&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/16144/Study-provides-new-insights-into-village-water-committees-in-Fiji.aspx A study was conducted to understand the structure, processes, and actions of water committees in Indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) villages as part of the Watershed Interventions in Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project. Village water committees are important as they address and manage issues in their local communities. They have local knowledge which can help set standards of what is acceptable behaviour and enforce rules about water. Publishing their results in the International Journal of Water Resources Development, the multidisciplinary team included Sarah Nelson, Seye Abimbola, Aaron Jenkins and Joel Negin from the University of Sydney, Sangeeta Mangubhai and Stacy Jupiter from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and Kelera Naivalu and Vilisi Naivalulevu from Fiji National University.  The authors found: (1) roles of the committees were water infrastructure management and maintenance, and providing advice on water conservation, (2)   water committees’ membership size varied (especially the number of women members) (3) there were gendered divisions on committee roles (for example, women were typically the committee secretary, and men were responsible for fixing and managing pipe damage), and (4)  management actions were proactive (e.g. cleaning and maintenance of pipes) and reactive (e.g. fixing a pipe when it bursts). The study found that reactive management is more common in water committees, but these are ad-hoc short-term unplanned adaptive responses and only occur when problems arise. However, there needs to be greater push into aiding villages to make proactive decisions, but this requires greater planning and in some cases, funding. Social and cultural norms underlie the decision-making processes and structures of village water committees, with men playing dominant roles. Promoting women’s roles in water committees and decision-making is a way to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) and Goal 6 (ensure access to water and sanitation for all people). Ensuring everyone in the village is represented on the water committee is important as it helps promote ownership and buy-in from the village to protect and value water resources. Sarah Nelson explains, “With Fiji facing growing issues from climate change and its potential impact on water access, it is important to understand how committees work so future decisions, actions and interventions to support with water committees with their long-term water security, and help promote equitable water access for everyone in the village.” Findings from this study will be used to help the WISH Fiji project strengthen village level activities of water management and decision-making. This work was supported by the Stronger Systems for Health Security grant scheme by the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia and by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative.FULL PAPER:  Nelson S, Abimbola S, Mangubhai S, Jenkins A, Jupiter S, Naivalu K, Naivalulevu V, Negin J (2021) Understanding the decision-making structures, roles, and actions of village-level water committees in Fiji. International Journal of Water Resources Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2021.1916449 Sangeeta Mangubhai Mon, 10 May 2021 00:49:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:16144 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13858/Gender-integration-into-the-implementation-of-the-Vanuatu-National-Road-map-for-Coastal-Fisheries.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13858 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13858&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13858/Gender-integration-into-the-implementation-of-the-Vanuatu-National-Road-map-for-Coastal-Fisheries.aspx With two thirds of the population living within one kilometer of the coast, coastal fisheries are a critical resource for food security, nutrition, livelihoods and cultural practice or kastom in Vanuatu. Last year, the Vanuatu Department of Fisheries launched the “Vanuatu National Roadmap for Coastal Fisheries: 2019‒2030”. Vanuatu’s roadmap is comprehensive, aligning with the Melanesia Spearhead Group’s roadmap for inshore fisheries, as well as other regional (e.g. New Song) and global (e.g. FAO Guidelines for Securing Small-Scale Fisheries, Sustainable Development Goal 14 on Oceans) commitments and guidelines. There are six principles to guide the implementation of Vanuatu’s roadmap – featured prominently, the first principle states how important it is to “recognize women’s contribution to coastal fisheries and promote more inclusive fisheries management and livelihoods.” Gender trainers Cedric Paniel (OXFAM), Chelcia Gomese (WorldFish), Sangeeta Mangubhai (WCS), Danika Kleiber (JCU/WorldFish) © WorldFishHowever, fisheries managers and practitioners do not have formal training and therefore lack the knowledge and skills needed to integrate gender into their work. In response, the Vanuatu Department of Fisheries hosted a training designed to increase and strengthen its capacity for integrating gender into fisheries and aquaculture work in Vanuatu. Over two days, representatives from government, environmental NGOs and development organisations came together to share knowledge and experiences on gender integration into projects, programs and institutions. The training was specifically designed to: 1)      Increase and strengthen capacity for government and NGOs to integrate gender into aquaculture, fisheries, environment and broader natural resource use and management; and 2)      Develop clear pathways for gender integration into management and monitoring. The materials for the training were co-developed by the Pathways Project in partnership with the Vanuatu team, the James Cook University ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, WorldFish Solomon Islands, and the Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Fiji Country Program. What was unique about the training was there were no Powerpoint presentations, no formal classroom teaching – instead activities were designed to enable participants to reflect on their own experiences, and consider how society shapes and influences ideas around gender roles and relationships. The training was highly interactive, providing time to reflect on the difference between sex and gender, and how gender norms can negatively influence the lives and relationships of men and women. Participants at the gender in fisheries training in Port Vila, Vanuatu - copyright to WorldFishGender panelists (left to right): Julia Marango (CARE), Celine Bareus (Department of Women’s Affairs), Betty Zinner-Toa (UN Women), Jill Makikon (OXFAM)  © WorldFishTogether, the participants explored the barriers different people in a community experience when they are engaging in participatory management decisions, and they gained new gender sensitive facilitation techniques. A panel of experts from UN Women, OXFAM, CARE and the Department of Women’s Affairs shared approaches and tools they found effective to progress gender equality in Vanuatu. The hope is that the approaches developed by these gender and development organisations, and the lessons they have learned, can openly be shared with the Vanuatu Department of Fisheries to better implement the National Roadmap for Coastal Fisheries. Chelcia Gomese a Senior Research Analyst at WorldFish in Solomon Islands explains, “one of the highlights of the training was the opportunity to work and learn from with Cedric Paniel at OXFAM who is doing some leading and innovative work on gender in Vanuatu. It is rare for me to meet a male who is as passionate about gender as I am. I hope to bring what I have learned this week back to the work that will continue to do in Solomon Islands.” This work is part of Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai’s Pew Marine Conservation Fellowship which is looking at how to better mainstream gender and human rights-based approaches into small-scale fisheries in Melanesia. Sangeeta Mangubhai Wed, 26 Feb 2020 21:08:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13858 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13211/Surveying-coral-reefs-in-Ovalau-Island-to-measure-impacts-of-watershed-management.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13211 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13211&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13211/Surveying-coral-reefs-in-Ovalau-Island-to-measure-impacts-of-watershed-management.aspx While the rest of the country celebrated Fiji Day, a team of dedicated Fijian scientists continued their surveys of coral reefs around Ovalau Island. It felt apt to be there, close to Fiji’s old capital Levuka which became a World Heritage Site in June, 2013. Each day we SCUBA dive to collect baseline data on coral cover, coral disease, and reef fish communities to help us document and better understand how land use practices are impacting downstream coral reef habitats. Heavy rainfall earlier in the week had caused sediments from land to enter the Bureta River, forming large plumes extending from the river mouth out to sea. The sediment plumes are so thick it is impossible to count fish on nearshore reefs and we had to concentrate our efforts on the composition and health of the coral community. We found, as we expected, that those coral reefs closest to river mouths are being heavily impacted by sediments from land. In these environments the diversity of corals is low and a number of colonies were ‘pale’ or ‘fully bleached’ which is an indicator of stress. In this case the stress is likely a combination of freshwater (from the recent heavy rain) and sediments. Silt was prevalent at the site, in some places making up 20‒30 percent of the cover. Many of the corals were producing large volumes of mucous in an effort to trap and prevent sediments settling on their tissue. Further away from the land the story was a little mixed. At some sites the coral community was healthy and thriving, while other reefs were still recovering from Category 5 Cyclone Winston which passed through Fiji in February 2016 leaving a trail of destruction in its path. Those reefs previously impacted by the cyclone had notable large fields of rubble (old broken coral), overturned corals and chunks of reef that had been broken off. To address these pressing issues, a large multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral project called Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) was launched in late 2018. Working across the five sub-catchments of the Bureta, Dama Dawasamu, Waibula and Upper Navua rivers, the project focuses on targeted and integrated upstream catchment management and policy implementation to reduce the spread of disease and improve downstream ecosystem condition. The coral reef data collected this year will be our baseline and we will be doing monitoring annually to determine if interventions to improve land management will have a positive impact on coral reefs. There is a tight connectivity between land and sea on high islands given the generally smaller sizes of their watersheds. Bottom line is that watershed health matters for coral reefs and the people who are dependent on them, especially for food and livelihoods. We need to ask ourselves, can we really afford to lose them? The WISH Fiji project is a partnership between the University of Sydney, Edith Cowan University, Fiji National University and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in close collaboration and partnership with the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Water Authority of Fiji, World Health Organisation (WHO), the Pacific Community (SPC), UNICEF. The project is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs.  Sangeeta Mangubhai Sun, 20 Oct 2019 23:56:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13211 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13191/Watershed-management-and-coral-reefs.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13191 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13191&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13191/Watershed-management-and-coral-reefs.aspx Healthy watersheds are fundamental to human health and wellbeing whether you live inland or along the coast. Ridge-to-reef management is not new and organisations like the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have been supporting communities take a holistic and integrated approach to managing their resources for more than a decade.Catchment management is an important issue in Fiji as land use practices such as forest clearing and agriculture are increasingly impacting watersheds, causing rivers to be filled with sediments, especially after heavy rains. These sediments eventually make their way down the river and discharge into the ocean. A certain amount of the sediments may be trapped by mangroves at the mouth of rivers, but large volumes of silt end up on coral reefs.Human activities are changing both the magnitude and characteristics of sediment that is reaching the reef.  Some species of coral cannot survive sediment plumes after heavy rainfall. Other corals become stressed and produce volumes of mucous to trap silt to prevent it settling on their tissue. Fine silt that ends up on the ocean never really goes away – rough weather and currents can continue to re-suspend it, keeping corals in a stressed state. To address these pressing issues, a large multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral project called Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) was launched in late 2018. Working across the five sub-catchments of the Bureta, Dama Dawasamu, Waibula and Upper Navua rivers, the project focuses on targeted and integrated upstream catchment management and policy implementation to reduce the spread of disease and improve downstream ecosystem condition. To document and better understand these downstream impacts, a team of scientists from WCS are surveying reefs close to and offshore from the mouth of the Bureta, Dama, Waibula, and Dawasamu rivers. Each day we SCUBA dive to collect baseline data on coral cover, coral disease, and reef fish communities. We are documenting how much silt (measured as percentage cover) is present on those reefs. The composition of coral communities can give us insights into the impact sediments are having on reef systems. The types and abundance of coral disease provide a strong indicator of land-based impacts. Monitoring will be done annually to determine if interventions to improve land management will have a positive impact on coral reefs.The WISH Fiji project is a partnership between the University of Sydney, Edith Cowan University, Fiji National University and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in close collaboration and partnership with the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Water Authority of Fiji, World Health Organisation (WHO), the Pacific Community (SPC), UNICEF. The project is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative, the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Tiffany & Co. Foundation.    Sangeeta Mangubhai Sun, 13 Oct 2019 22:06:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13191 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13051/Celebrating-the-life-of-Steven-McLaren-Lee.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13051 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13051&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13051/Celebrating-the-life-of-Steven-McLaren-Lee.aspx Anyone who had the deep privilege of meeting, working, diving or fishing with Steven McLaren Lee could not help but feel hopeful about the future. Steven brought so much life and energy to everything he did. He was fearless, willing to try anything, giving a hundred percent to any task he set himself. I first met Steven when he turned up on the doorstep of the Wildlife Conservation Society to discuss ideas for his Master of Science degree. Steven wanted to find a topic that would have real impact in Fiji, and would help communities better manage their fisheries resources. At the time, the declines in the sea cucumber fishery in Fiji and the wider Pacific was a hot issue. And so he embarked on a Masters at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research and University of Bremen in Germany. He decided to look at how the removal of the sea cucumber known locally as dairo (Holothuria scabra), affected the health of marine sediments. This is an important question, as evidence from other places in the world suggested sea cucumbers played a critical role in recycling of nutrients and keeping sediments aerated. He got community agreement to work in Natuvu Village in Cakaudrove Province and in 24 months, he completed all his fieldwork, and submitted his thesis.Steven was keen to return to Fiji and began an internship with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Using his new knowledge and skills he worked with other WCS staff to help two communities draft up management plans for their sea cucumber fishery. At the same time, Steven had two manuscripts for an international journal and for the Pacific Community’s (SPC) fisheries bulletin submitted and accepted. Steven very quickly became sought after and started doing consultancies in Fiji and the wider Pacific region. For someone so young, he was landing contracts to do summaries of Fiji’s top 44 fisheries, desktop reviews for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), fisheries analyses for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and for SPC. Despite being in high demand, he managed to join us for the 2017 expedition we did in the northern Lau group with the Vatuvara Foundation. He kept us thoroughly entertained with his free-diving and fishing stories, while entering data with the team late into the evenings. It is with great sadness that the WCS family farewells Steven Lee who passed away just over 2 weeks ago. Although we all feel his loss so keenly, we are grateful to have been a part of Steve’s journey in life and to share in the joy he brought to everyone around him. Rest in peace Sitiveni.   Sangeeta Mangubhai Tue, 10 Sep 2019 21:27:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13051 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13039/Supporting-community-managed-pearl-oyster-farms-in-Savusavu-Bay.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13039 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13039&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13039/Supporting-community-managed-pearl-oyster-farms-in-Savusavu-Bay.aspx J. Hunter Pearls Fiji has been producing high quality pearls with ‘distinctive hues’ since early 2000, and made Fiji pearls a sought after brand. The owner, Justin Hunter works closely with local communities in Vanua Levu, providing jobs for local communities. Pearl oysters are filter feeders, requiring clear pristine waters to grow and thrive. They can filter about 1400 litres of water a day capturing plankton (small microscopic animals in the water column) and other small particles. In other words, oysters clean seawater, keeping bays like Savusavu healthy!Over the next three years, the Wildlife Conservation Society, is partnering J. Hunter Pearls Fiji and the Pacific Community (SPC) to support 2‒3 community-managed pearl oyster farms in Cakaudrove Province on the island of Vanua Levu. The project will be exploring ways to engage women fishers in the industry, while enhancing the effectiveness of their locally managed marine areas. We will work with the local community to ensure land uses do not impact water quality in their customary fishing grounds, to maintain the waters needed for producing high quality pearls. WCS will work closely with J. Hunter Pearls Fiji, SPC and the communities to develop business plans to ensure equitable distribution of benefits that will cover future costs of wages, new pearl shell stock, and any other priority community development activities.   The pearl farming industry is an opportunity to provide non-extractive and environmentally friendly livelihoods for local communities in Fiji. This work is funded by the Blue Action Fund.       Sangeeta Mangubhai Thu, 05 Sep 2019 04:09:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13039 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/12457/Gender-and-social-inclusion-in-fisheries-management.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=12457 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=12457&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/12457/Gender-and-social-inclusion-in-fisheries-management.aspx Most of the Pacific’s population is coastal, and therefore our people are highly reliant on inshore fisheries for their food and livelihood needs. What most people don’t realise or appreciate is that women make up a large percentage of those involved in formal and informal fisheries sector. In many cases, women are the primary protein and/or income supporter for their families. Despite this, women are often excluded from governance and decision-making, and are not afforded the same opportunities as others, to raise their issues and concerns, and be part of the solutions for sustainable fisheries management. The same can also be said for youth, the elderly, and those living with disabilities.  Currently, we are seeing unprecedented regional and global commitments towards addressing gender inequality in coastal fisheries. For example, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication in 2015, to provide principles and guidance to countries on addressing small-scale fisheries. Two years later FAO released specific guidelinesTowards gender-equitable small-scale fisheries governance and development. There guidelines draw on numerous human rights conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, to promote social development and improve governance in developing country fisheries, particularly of vulnerable and marginalized fishing groups.  Unfortunately, the inclusion of gender in fisheries management in the Pacific is hindered by the fact that these issues are often addressed by separate ministries and are poorly integrated or mainstreamed into sectors such as fisheries. Without the knowledge, tools or enabling conditions for integration, fisheries managers and practitioners will continue to struggle to ensure fisheries management approaches are holistic, inclusive of gender and all stakeholder groups, and are uniquely tailored to the Pacific.  There is also a great divide between “guidelines” and “practice” on the ground. To address this,  a handbook on Pacific Gender Equity and Social Inclusion in Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture was launched by the Pacific Community (SPC) in April this year. The handbook was developed by 30 people from 20 different organisations including the SPC and Wildlife Conservation Society, and is reflective of the importance of this work in the Pacific. The handbook provides practical guidance for Pacific Island government staff and practitioners working in fisheries and aquaculture.  The modules are structured around the tasks such as the planning and implementation of projects and programmes, including social analysis, monitoring and evaluation, and policy development. It also focuses on the responsibilities of Pacific Island governments to help promote sustainable development outcomes for people who rely on coastal fisheries for their livelihoods. Later this year another four modules will be developed on community engagement, coastal fisheries management, sustainable livelihoods, and oceanic fisheries.  But why is gender and social inclusion important in the fisheries sector? Gender equality is central to sustainable fisheries management, and ultimately to improve livelihoods and food security, especially for the most vulnerable. It is important to understand gender equality is not about promoting women over men, or promoting practices that are disrespectful to men or to our Pacific Island cultures. It is about recognizing the different and complimentary roles that men and women play in fisheries, and how these roles define who has the power, who has the influence, and who ultimately is making decisions about how fisheries resources are used or allocated.  Put another way, sustainable fisheries in the Pacific will be hard to achieve, if we only engage or support the aspirations of half the population. Gender equity and social inclusion, if done correctly, should mean everyone wins! This is what many practitioners in the Pacific are now terming “a people-centric approach”, where everyone counts, and no one is left behind. A copy of the handbook can be freely downloaded from: https://coastfish.spc.int/en/component/content/article/494 Sangeeta Mangubhai Sat, 08 Jun 2019 04:33:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:12457