{"id":5557,"date":"2023-11-21T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pathfinder.org\/?post_type=essay&p=5557"},"modified":"2025-06-05T16:15:37","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T20:15:37","slug":"no-more-sex-for-fish-womens-leadership-in-kenyas-sustainable-fisheries","status":"publish","type":"essay","link":"https:\/\/www.pathfinder.org\/impact-stories\/no-more-sex-for-fish-womens-leadership-in-kenyas-sustainable-fisheries\/","title":{"rendered":"No More Sex for Fish: Women\u2019s Leadership in Kenya\u2019s Sustainable Fisheries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Kenya, Pathfinder\u2019s Darwin Initiative: Pairing Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) with Sustainable Aquaculture in Lake Victoria Project <\/strong>cultivates a new model for responsible aquaculture that safeguards native species, while ensuring long-term benefits for local communities and engaging women to serve as entrepreneurs and leaders in the fishing industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In collaboration with Conservation International<\/a>, Victory Farms<\/a>, and Fauna and Flora<\/a>, Pathfinder has been working with the communities surrounding Lake Victoria to foster sustainable fishing practices through a five-pronged approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Demarcation and protection of fish breeding areas. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Promotion of cage aquaculture to alleviate pressure on the wild fish population.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Introduction of alternative livelihoods to mitigate pressure on lake resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Re-Introduction of endangered fish species, such as the Oreochromis esculentus tilapia, into breeding sites for multiplication and growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Promotion of sustainable fishing practices\u2014such as encouraging the use of selective fishing gear to allow smaller fish to escape, ensuring the survival of juvenile fish.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    As the fisheries of Lake Victoria make strides toward sustainability, the Darwin Initiative also seeks to cultivate another underutilized resource\u2014the leadership potential of women in the fisheries sector.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Prevailing beliefs around gender roles and societal norms often limit women\u2019s career growth\u2014and potential for economic independence\u2014within the fishing industry. Coupled with fewer opportunities for education and skills development and lack of access to resources and capital, women are often underrepresented, or not represented at all, in decision-making processes that impact the fisheries sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These inequalities feed a cycle of vulnerability and exploitation. Jaboya, or \u201csex for fish,\u201d is a coercive practice stemming from gender-based power imbalances, economic inequalities, and limited opportunities for women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Pamela and Florence are leaders from the Roo village Beach Management Unit. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    In an effort to mitigate some of the challenges faced by women in the fisheries sector\u2014and chart a course toward a more equitable fishing industry where no one needs to trade sex for fish\u2014the Darwin Initiative distributed boats to women’s groups, equipping these women with the tools they needed to take steps toward economic independence and reshape traditional roles within the fishing community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Though cultural norms typically excluded women from direct fishing activities, providing them with boats enabled them to employ men, altering the dynamics of ownership within the industry. This shift, in turn, enabled these women to claim ownership of\u2014and profits from\u2014the entire fish harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But it takes more than a few fishing boats in the hands of women to enact meaningful change on the fisheries sector. Additional activities aimed at reducing barriers faced by women in the fishing industry include\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n