Implication of gender mainstreaming on policy-making for sustainable fisheries development in China

Abstract

Currently, gender mainstreaming is widely recognized by the international community as an essential component of social development. Increasing attention is also being directed toward its significant role in the field of marine and fisheries, especially because gender equality-responsive fisheries development is believed to be a significant impulse for the continued advancement of this field. An analysis of the role of gender mainstreaming in fisheries development reveals that the long-term challenges faced by Chinese women in fisheries are closely tied to the absence of the gender perspective in existing fishery policies. In recent years, international organizations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, along with various regions and countries, have accumulated extensive experience and achieved notable progress in promoting gender mainstreaming in fisheries. Furthermore, they have established successful models for the scientific implementation of gender mainstreaming from the top down and with diverse perspectives, thus providing valuable insights for China to incorporate gender mainstreaming in policymaking. As China endeavors to foster high-quality marine and fisheries development while positioning itself as a responsible fishery power, it is imperative for the country to proactively address gender issues within the fisheries sector. Drawing on international best practices and considering China’s national conditions, this paper proposes the integration of a gender perspective into China’s fisheries policy by raising policymakers’ gender awareness, conducting dynamic monitoring and evaluation of the status of women in the fisheries sector, encouraging the active involvement of women and fisheries organizations in policymaking, and promoting research on gender issues in fisheries, all of which can bridge the gap in gender responsiveness within China’s fisheries policy system.