Gender and Development

Philippines

Fisheries Resources Management Project, 1997

The project preparatory technical assistance showed that while women play important economic roles in fishing, particularly in processing and marketing, their roles are often neglected in projects and programs in the sector. Women are particularly concerned about overfishing, which is reducing the viability of fishing communities, and are keen to participate in protection and sustainable management efforts.

The project has attempted to address such concerns by providing for the training and employment of women as fish wardens with the capacity and power to report environmentally destructive fishing practices, and providing larger loans for fisheries-related enterprises run by women.