Project – Building Resilient Fisherwomen Communities

Timeframe: April 2023 – March 2024

Location: Tailevu, Rewa, Ra, Ba, Naitasiri, Kadavu & Cakaudrove

Thematic Area: Climate Justice and Humanitarian Action and Women’s Coalition for Change

Grant 1
Project Date: January – December 2018
Grant Value: Type C – FJ $150,000
Area of Focus: Gender equality in all aspects of fisheries and strengthening WiFN Fiji’s organisational base to respond to women in fisheries
Project Status: COMPLETED

Grant 2
Project Date: April 2019 – March 2021
Grant Value: Type C – FJ $
Area of Focus: Gender Equality in sustainable fisheries management and ensuring network sustainability

About the Project
Rural women especially those in traditional settings are often perceived as being capable only of handle micro-businesses in Fiji.

Women need confidence, networks, and the skills to grow their businesses. This is particularly important in the rural areas of Fiji where women are particularly disadvantaged through lack of access to business services, where transport costs are high and where women are expected to work long hours both in the field and in the home.

A grant from the Fiji Women’s Fund will allow WiFN to implement a project that will contribute to the economic empowerment of women in the fisheries sector while ensuring fisheries livelihoods are linked to sustainable fisheries. The women will receive skills training on the basics of setting up a business, value-adding, quality assurance, market assessments and securing more lucrative markets for their product.

The WiFN-Fiji will provide training on fishing and conservation practices to promote the sustainability of fisheries that women depend on for food security and livelihoods. By identifying the appropriate structures within the local governance system, WiFN-Fiji hopes to improve women’s participation in decision-making on natural resources management at the community level. Through this engagement, WiFN-Fiji hopes to change male perceptions on the role of women in a sector that is largely male-dominated.

By raising the profile of women in the fisheries sector, it is anticipated that policies will better reflect the role that women play, strengthen their voice, and address their needs.

About WiFN
The Women in Fisheries Network – Fiji (WiFN-Fiji) is a group of scientists, gender practitioners, interested individuals, organisations and community members that work to facilitate networks and partnerships that enable opportunities for women to be informed in all aspects of sustainable fisheries in Fiji and increase the meaningful participation of women in decision-making and all levels of management of sustainable fisheries.

Website: https://womeninfisheriesfiji.org/