Decolonization
As a program of a US-based foundation with staff shared between the US and the Somali region, Secure Fisheries acknowledges the history of US imperialism and Western colonization in the Somali region. We are aware of the power imbalances between our staff and the beneficiaries of our work. We seek to ensure that our work will support decolonization rather than perpetuate colonial power structures and relationships. Our work is led by local community members and government stakeholders, and Secure Fisheries provides external support to further the goals and address the needs of our Somali partners. Decolonization is a process and we seek to learn more about how our actions can be modified to support decolonization.
Equity and Inclusion
The empowerment of women and other marginalized groups in the fisheries sector promotes resource sustainability, economic growth, and food security. We incorporate a gender perspective throughout our projects, research, and monitoring and evaluation framework by examining the different roles of men and women in the areas in which we work and ensuring that both women and men benefit from our efforts. Our guide to gender mainstreaming outlines our approach to incorporating gender perspectives into fisheries management.
Equity is especially critical for successful fisheries co-management. Secure Fisheries incorporates questions about equity into its needs assessments, interviewing fishers and local women’s associations to understand the unique needs and challenges of women in these communities. The program works with local institutions to determine which community members, especially those in marginalized groups like women and youth, should participate in Secure Fisheries-facilitated training and be represented in the co-management associations. Secure Fisheries has hosted seven practical trainings requested by the communities in which at least one-third of the participants were women, including majority-women trainings in net-making and hygiene-focused fish handling. These trainings led directly to higher incomes for women, healthier and more sustainable fish handling community-wide, and increased household incomes, as participants also made nets for fishers within their households.
Secure Fisheries understands that achieving equality is a process that requires personal and programmatic introspection, active engagement with and listening to partners, and a commitment to learning. Our staff have participated in training sessions on gender mainstreaming and decolonization, equity, and inclusion and will continue learning and incorporating these principles into our work.
Find out more about One Earth Future's commitment to inclusivity across the organization.