Women are rarely involved in inland aquaculture–related activities in Sri Lanka and hence direct impact from this project could have been limited. In fishery communities, women’s participation is low. There are community-based organizations registered with local government and through which state support programming to improve fishery production is delivered. However, women from target communities expressed great interest in accessing the means to expand potential income-generating activities outside the fisheries sector—women actively sought access to benefits from the project.

The project has expanded women’s involvement in fisheries in some areas, for example, as treasurer of some fisheries societies, and found ways to improve their contribution to household incomes by diversifying their income-generating activities.

Taking a broader view of livelihood requirements within fishery communities, women’s needs can be identified and met, even if they are not directly involved in the sector. 

Commitment to gender was fulfilled by facilitating linkages with non-fishery services and supplemental support for income-generating activities to improve women’s contribution to household livelihood.

For more information on this case study, read the ADB publication Gender Equality Results Case Studies: Sri Lanka