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Knowledge4Policy
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  • Publication | 2023

The contribution of women in small-scale fisheries to healthy food systems and sustainable livelihoods in Malawi

Global Food and Nutrition Security

The Gender Brief is tailored to provide insight into the contributions of women in small-scale fisheries to healthy food systems and sustainable livelihoods in Malawi. Approximately 70 000 women in Malawi depend on small-scale fisheries for their livelihoods, mostly in the post-harvest sector. Pervasive gender norms limit women’s opportunities and decision-making power at household and community levels, as they face many gender-based constraints in fisheries value chains and they are more vulnerable to intersecting factors such as poverty and gender-based violence. Targeted actions should be undertaken to address gender inequalities and support women’s empowerment in the Malawian fisheries sector, including fostering women’s participation into local government agencies, supporting the formalization of women’s groups and organizations working in the fisheries sector and increasing women’s access to gender-responsive financial services and credit schemes.