By Ebunoluwa Sessou

Women make up most of the workforce in coastal and maritime tourism and fisheries, the main blue economy sectors. Yet, they are in the lowest-paid, lowest-status and least-protected jobs.

This was the centre of discourse at the just-concluded Women’s History Month Webinar organised by the Gender and Blue Economy Working Group, Nigeria and hosted by CGE Africa.

With the theme: Introduction to Blue Finance: Understanding the Basics and Opportunities for Women in the Blue Economy, the event noted that Blue finance is there to help address the threats by providing funding for projects that promote sustainable practices and conservation efforts.

Speaking, the National coordinator, Gender and Blue Economy Working Group, Nigeria, Uchenna Idoko disclosed that for the fisheries and aquaculture sector, women’s contribution is overlooked or undervalued. Adding that they play a key role in ensuring a reliable supply of food from the ocean, which three billion people depend on for their daily source of protein.

“Blue Finance is a type of finance that focuses on the conservation (prevention of wasteful use of a resource) and sustainable use (long-lasting without running out or being harmed in the process) of the Oceans, Seas and Coastlines (seashores) (OSC).

“It is about directing investments to manage our oceans, seas, and coastlines responsibly.

“The oceans, seas and coastlines are home to a variety of plants, and animal life.

They provide a number of essential services to humans such as food, transportation, and recreation; however they are under threat from a variety of factors including pollution, overfishing and climate change.

Idoko further explained that, in Small Island developing states, tourism accounts for 30 to 80 per cent of total exports, with the participation of women as high as 54 per cent but most work in low-skilled, casual and temporary jobs.

Highlighting the problems women face in the blue economy sector, Idoko said they include Gender Disparity in Work and Pay where women concentrated in lower-paying processing roles but are underrepresented in fisheries management and ocean decision-making.

“Limited Access to opportunities and resources, this explains that women struggle to access financing, technology, training, market information, and mobility, limiting their economic participation.

Talking about social and cultural barriers, Idoko said: “In some societies, women are not expected to fish at sea due to perceived dangers, restricting their roles to shore-based activities.

On challenges in Trade Participation, she said: “Women have difficulty entering domestic and international trade markets due to structural barriers.

“Women engaged in fish processing and marketing lack access to essential tools, credit, and support services.  Many women lack the necessary skills in marketing, safety, and hygiene, making it harder to meet market regulations like those of the European Union.

She, however, recommended  providing women with better financial support and tools for fish processing and marketing. Offering targeted training in marketing, safety, and hygiene to help women meet regulatory requirements and improve their economic outcomes.

“We need to ensure that women have a voice in fisheries management and ocean governance.

Encourage women’s participation in new blue economy sectors; expanding opportunities for women in sustainable aquaculture, renewable energy, blue carbon initiatives, and marine biotechnology. We need to support technology-driven solutions for coastal restoration and marine conservation, often led by communities.

“We need to be an advocate for cultural and policy changes that integrate women in all areas of the blue economy. We must implement policies that promote equal pay, access to opportunities, and fair labour rights for women as well as recognise that gender equality in the blue economy benefits society, strengthens economies, and supports the achievement of all 17 SDGs,” she said.

 Blue Finance is used to fund projects that help to protect and preserve the oceans, seas and coastlines (OSC).  These projects include marine conservation, sustainable fishing practices and coastal restoration.

The money can come from a variety of sources including private sector investors, government, international donor agencies and philanthropic organisations.