Gender Perspectives in Social, Blue and Climate Justice

Maria Pena and Patrick McConney

Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES)
University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, Barbados
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ABSTRACT

Climate justice, blue justice and social justice are closely intertwined in small island developing states (SIDS) societies, villages and households engaged in small-scale fisheries (SSF). The English-speaking Caribbean exemplifies this at a time when fisherfolk, perceiving themselves as marginalised, are concerned about their invisibility in blue economy and climate change initiatives. Fisherfolk fear that large development investments lead to further marginalisation of SSF, including the roles that women play. Women predominate in postharvest seafood processing, distribution, and marketing in SSF. These value-added economic activities are often overlooked in official statistics and women may benefit from little to no social protection as self-employed entrepreneurs and fish workers. Women face challenges due to the nature of postharvest work combined with their domestic household responsibilities. Yet, they seldom speak of issues related to their domestic responsibilities when they discuss their fishery work. This is problematic. This paper examines these and other gender perspectives in social, blue and climate justice. Gender perspectives need to be better incorporated into SSF in CRFM Member States. Negative impacts on women’s health and well-being can extend to their family and community, impairing a country’s ability to cope with shocks, whether from climate or the global economy. There are potential impacts on food security and nutrition.

HOW TO CITE: Pena, M. and P. McConney, 2026. Gender Perspectives in Social, Blue and Climate Justice. Contribution 7.2, p502-516 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume I: Technical Papers. Presented at the CRFM 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 37, CRFM Secretariat https://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=943

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Women Empowerment in the Belize Fishing Industry

Sandra C. Grant^*1, Ralna Lewis Lamb², Peter A. Murray¹, Nidia Chacon³, Isabel Martinez⁴, Deseree Arzu²

Contact information of author(s)

CRFM Secretariat, Belize (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )¹,

Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )²,

The Nature Conservancy, Belize (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )³,

Belize Fisheries Department (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )⁴

ABSTRACT

Women’s empowerment is the process by which females who have been denied the ability to make strategic life choices acquire such an ability. There are gender inequalities in the distribution of power in the Belize fisheries sector. Perceptions on gender equality amongst women in the fisheries sector is that they are not treated fairly, and they do not have equal opportunity within a male dominated sector. Within Belize’s fisheries sector, women are not generally engaged, consulted, or valued; consequently, they cannot fully attain their potential contribution to fisheries management and development. Yet, they make significant contribution to the fisheries sector. Women are involved in pre-harvest activities (preparing meals, vessels, fishing equipment, and bait for fishing trip; planning fishing trips, organizing crew); fishing operations; post-harvesting activities (processing, marketing, sale); and the preparation of fish meals (nutrition). Intensified and focused efforts are needed to engage Belizean women and strengthen their capacity for action across segments of the fisheries sector. This paper draws on the case study of Belize’s interventions to address the issues women face in the fisheries sector to illustrate key lessons of the transformative potential of women empowerment. The interactions of resources (access to material, human, and social resources), agency (processes of decision-making and negotiation), and achievements (well-being and outcome) combine to influence women’s empowerment. Women became empowered by their acquisition of new skills, greater knowledge of the marine ecosystem in which they work, and external interventions. Thus, they were able to influence decisions about their future and with confidence they are more willing to participate in decision-making.

HOW TO CITE: Grant, S.C., R. Lewis Lamb, P. A. Murray, N. Chacon, I. Martinez and D. Arzu. 2026. Women Empowerment in the Belize Fishing Industry. Contribution 4.3 IN CRFM, 2026. Papers presented at the CRFM 20^th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 35, CRFM Secretariat https://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=923

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Belize City, Thursday, 19 June 2025 (CRFM)—The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) is moving full speed ahead with the implementation of the Canada-funded STAR-Fish Project: “Sustainable Technologies for Adaptation and Resilience in Fisheries.” This CAD 4 million initiative is designed to increase clean energy transition in Caribbean fisheries and aquaculture while building resilience, by addressing the need to improve competitiveness and unleash key economic drivers.

This month, the CRFM Secretariat welcomed two highly experienced project staff: Mr. Sherrón Barker – Regional Project Coordinator, and Mrs. Daintyann Barrett-Smith – Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist.

"The STAR-Fish Project represents an important opportunity to drive innovation and sustainability in Caribbean fisheries. I am honoured to support our partners in delivering real progress on climate resilience, gender equity, and clean energy transition in this critical sector for our region’s economies and communities," Mr. Barker said.

He joined the CRFM Secretariat in Belize City in February 2025, as the Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer under another regional initiative – the GEF/FAO/CRFM BE-CLME+ Project titled, “Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities Through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus.” He previously worked as Project Manager for the Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative, at the International Seabed Authority in Jamaica from 2023 to 2024.

In his new role as the Regional Project Coordinator for the STAR-Fish Project, Mr. Barker will oversee and coordinate the implementation of STAR-Fish. He also holds responsibility for planning, implementing, and ensuring the delivery of timely and quality project outputs.

Complementing his work, Mrs. Barrett-Smith will assess environmental and social risks, recommend solutions, ensure compliance with the relevant environmental and social safeguard policies and standards, as well as provide technical support for the implementation of the project and its activities. She will also lead the development of an environmental and social screening checklist for the project. She is furthermore tasked with identifying mitigation and corrective measures which may be required by the project. Of note is that Mrs. Barnett-Smith has also been retained to fill the role vacated by Mr. Barker as the Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer for the BE-CLME+ Project.

In 2024, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) approved the implementation of STAR-Fish—a four-year project which was developed by the CRFM to address climate resilience in the Caribbean. The Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, has donated CAD 4 million to the project, while the CRFM has committed CAD 324,000 in counterpart funding. Although this project is being implemented in countries eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA)—namely Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname—the CRFM Secretariat is committed to ensuring that other Member States across the region garner as many spin-off benefits as possible.

The fisheries sector consumes energy across its value chain, particularly for fish processing—cooling, cleaning, drying, and freezing. The STAR-Fish Project seeks to demonstrate that energy costs can be substantially reduced by transitioning to renewable energy technologies. The project intends to ultimately increase clean energy transition in Caribbean fisheries and aquaculture by applying a gender-responsive approach to its interventions, as it supports the certification of low carbon or carbon neutral fisheries in the region and facilitates technical collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The STAR-Fish Project is pivotal for the advancement of the CRFM’s 2022-2030 Strategic Plan. It particularly supports the attainment of Strategic Goal 4, which envisions “Increased use of renewable energy and energy efficient harvesting, processing, and cold storage systems, and reduction of the region’s reliance on fossil fuels in fisheries and aquaculture.”

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About Global Affairs Canada:

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)—under the leadership of the Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Minister of International Trade; the Minister of Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs; and the Secretary of State of International Development—is responsible for advancing Canada’s international relations, including, inter alia: developing and implementing foreign policy; fostering the development of international law, international trade and commerce; and providing international assistance (encompassing humanitarian, development, and peace and security).