Regional dialogue focuses on Human rights, gender and social inclusion in Pacific Tuna fisheries

About 27,000 Pacific Islanders are employed in the tuna fisheries sector.

This very important industry however, is unfortunately highly gender-segregated - with the harvest sector being dominated by men while women are predominately employed as line workers in the processing sector - and known for the poor working conditions, challenges faced by migrant fishers, ambiguous recruitment processes and gender-blind workplaces. Moreover, the fishing industry in general is a major cause of plastic released into the ocean (lost nets and fishing gears).

At ISLANDS, we are adopting a gender transformative approach aiming to change the gender dynamics in the regions we work in. Hence, I am happy to see that a regional dialogue has started in Fiji, to prepare the tuna fisheries sector to better address the human rights, gender and social inclusion issues in the Pacific region by using a human rights-based approach. Indeed, it is something that I think it should be done for other sectors too.

The Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) is just around the corner. It will be held on 27-30 March 2023 (hybrid) in Bangkok, Thailand as part of the HLPF to be held in New York in July this year. SDGs under review this year are: Goal 6 (Clean water and sanitation); Goal 7 (Affordable and clean energy); Goal 9 (Industry. innovation, and infrastructure); Goal 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and Goal 17 (Partnership for the Goals).
These SDGs are linked with the ISLANDS programming and are an opportunity to showcase the coordination and implementation of projects.

From the Asia Pacific region, Fiji and Maldives are reporting their VNRs this year and the APFSD will be a key forum to provide input and observe trends in the region. Do we have ISLANDS focal points planning to attend, or connected in the process drafting the national VNRs?
It would be great to hear what key features are being included, discussed, and prioritized--and of course how gender equality (SDG5) too as a cross-cutting issue in the SDG reporting is being integrated.

Outside of the Asia Pacific region, ISLANDS countries conducting VNRs this year include: Barbados, Comoros, Guyana, and Saint Kitts and Nevis with regional forums ahead of HLPF planned.

Wonderful for SIDS and for Samoa: Samoa's first female Prime Minister the Honourable Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa names as AOSIS Chair. She vowed to continue the excellent work of the previous Chairs, particularly by amplifying marginalised voices and advocating for the Alliance’s interests on the global stage and to secure global commitments and agreement.

You may have seen news already on the recent class action lawsuit in the US for Thinx brand menstrual underwear as it now has been revealed that the underwear marketed to women and also young girls contain harmful levels of PFAS. Companies such as Thinx, and its parent company, Kimberly-Clark, are using deceptive marketing practices to avoid scrutiny of how products are made with regard to toxic chemicals, and have been labeling these as "organic." This case is thankfully expanding the conversation of hazardous chemicals in all kinds of products and can be an example for mobilizing action, and advocacy with lawmakers everywhere to hold companies accountable for their use of hazardous chemicals in products. Do you have any examples of campaigns, or lawsuits, to reduce and eliminate hazardous chemicals in common consumer products? We can learn from these experiences and apply in our ISLANDS programs

This is an inspiring story from Ethiopia on an innovative women-only business that is gathering plastic waste so that it can be transformed into new products. It is not only targeting the enormous global problem of plastic pollution but also empowering dozens of women from low-income households with skills and employment opportunities.

This initiative reminds me of the words of Tanya Yanuyanurua, from the Pacific Recycling Foundation in Fiji who spoke at the ISLANDS webinar on Women’s Leadership in SIDS on Waste Management last month. She said - “There is dignity in all people and value in recycling. We do not regard any individual or group as ‘Informal Waste Pickers’ anymore but as ‘Collection Pillars of Recycling.”

Interested in gender in global environmental governance? Have a look at the Gender Climate Tracker!

This platform tracks the progress in integrating gender mandates in environmental policies at the global and national level, checks on women participation in international negotiations while also providing country-specific data and resources.

You can also become a tracker by adding resources to this link https://genderclimatetracker.org/node/12222

Interested in learning more about mercury and the major threat it poses to human and planetary health? Then join us for a webinar in a few hours on the Minamata Convention and managing mercury in SIDS. https://www.greengrowthknowledge.org/webinar/islands-webinar-sharing-si…

To dig deeper on gender issue and integration check out this resource from the Convention: https://www.mercuryconvention.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021-08…

Does anyone have any additional resources or studies on the gender-specific issue from your country or region to share?

Hi everyone, the SDG Hub published a great summary of last weeks webinar on gender. Link below!

Hi everyone,
Thank you Clara ? I am Anna and I'm living in Berlin and Lübeck in Germany ? I'm working at the MSP Institute, where I coordinate our projects on gender and chemicals ?.
It was a great honour to present to you yesterday in the webinar why I think that gender matters in chemicals management. Attached are my presentation notes + references and a link to our brief you-tube video on gender and chemicals.
It was sooo lovely to e-meet you all yesterday and I am very much looking forward to getting into more exchange with you all!

Hello Gender Equality Community! I'm Margaux Granat, based in Washington, DC, USA. I am leading the implementation of the ISLANDS Gender-Responsive Action Plan and Strategy. If you missed our webinar last week, check out the recording where our incredible lineup of speakers-- Keima Gardiner Anna Holthaus Ruth Spencer, Marina Keil and @Tanya Yanuyanurua--share their experiences, challenges and goals as women leaders in chemicals and waste management spaces.
Are you a woman leading in the chemical and waste management sectors, or know of another excellent woman agent of change? Share with us your (or their) experience here!