The International Association for Women in the Seafood Industry is a newly (December 2016) not-for-profit association created by seafood professionals and gender specialists.
It emerged from the growing recognition that women’s participation in the global seafood industry is very significant, yet it is often undervalued by private stakeholders and overlooked by public policies. Globally, one in every two seafood workers is a woman. However, they are very few in leadership positions and over-represented in lowest paid, lowest valued positions. Women are essential contributors to this important food supplying industry, but they remain invisible.
Stories of women in the seafood industry, both good and bad, are rarely told. There is a need to increase awareness about women’s role in this industry and to recognize the value they bring.
While we acknowledge that some progress has been achieved, a lot remains to be done in terms of increasing awareness of gender-based inequality issues and eradicating prejudices in order to ensure gender equality.