SEAFDEC Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center
In advance celebration of the International Women’s Day (celebrated on 8 March every year), SEAFDEC organized the Special Seminar on “Gender in Fisheries” on 7 March 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand featuring three speakers from the international, regional, and national fisheries organizations. The first speaker was Dr. Clara Mi Young Park, the Regional Gender, Rural and Social Development Officer of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Her presentation was entitled “Gender Equality in Fisheries: an international perspective,” which highlighted the guiding international frameworks particularly the FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) in addressing the challenges of women in fisheries around the world. The second speaker was Dr. Amonrat Sermwatanakul, also known as Dr. Noi. She is the Head of Senior Fisheries Experts at DOF Thailand and Chairperson of gender mainstreaming in the cage culture research and shrimp farm under the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Her presentation was entitled “Gender Awareness in Siamese Fighting Fish Aquaculture,” which emphasized the empowerment of fish farmers as well as the significant roles of women in Siamese fighting fish aquaculture. Dr. Noi was the principal proponent in recognizing the Siamese fighting fish as Thailand’s national aquatic animal, which was recently approved by the government in February 2019. The third speaker was Ms. Jariya Sornkliang, the Fisheries Management Scientist and Gender Focal Point at SEAFDEC. Her presentation was entitled “Promoting Gender Equality in Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Southeast Asian Region.” Ms. Jariya gave emphasis on the regional efforts of SEAFDEC in addressing gender issues particularly the development of the SEAFDEC Gender Strategy and A Handbook on Gender Analysis. She also presented the gender studies being conducted by SEAFDEC in collaboration with partner organizations. There were 21 men and 50 women participants who came from the Department of Fisheries Thailand, Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development Thailand, FAO, USAID Oceans, Network of Aquaculture Center in Asia-Pacific, Sustainable Development Foundation, SEAFDEC Secretariat, and SEAFDEC Training Department.
