Inclusion of women, persons with disabilities, older people and other often marginalised members of the community on an equal basis with others is central to sustainable fisheries management, and ultimately to improving livelihoods and food security for the entire community.
To implement fishery- and aquaculture-based livelihood programs inclusively:
- Conduct mapping of community structures, households and individuals who are active in coastal fisheries and aquaculture activities and identify socially excluded groups in the community who may be particularly at-risk.
- Analyse the barriers faced by at-risk groups in the fisheries sector and provide individual support to overcome these barriers, for example by providing assistive technologies to enable persons with disabilities and older persons to engage in fishery-related activities.
- Consider existing strengths, coping strategies and measures, and local or indigenous knowledge of at-risk groups in coastal communities to inform program design.
- Identify the specific requirements and risks of women, persons with disabilities and older persons related to hazards in coastal communities while developing mechanisms for disaster mitigation, for instance by constructing accessible cyclone shelters or setting up inclusive early warning systems.
- Mainstreaming disability in fisheries sector, for example by setting up community awareness campaigns using multiple means of communication and information dissemination to inform all community groups about planned fisheries activities.
- Conduct inclusive meetings in safe and accessible venues to ensure participation all at-risk groups.