How can your fishery benefit all community members in an equitable manner? A human rights-based approach recognizes and promotes the roles of all fishery stakeholders, while uplifting women and other marginalized people. Upholding the rights of all people through inclusive, participatory decision-making and working towards preventing human-rights abuses is fundamental to successful small-scale fisheries. Start here to learn about gender equity and equality and use the sub-categories below to identify stakeholders and understand their rights, and yours. 

Resources

Small-Scale Fisheries and Blue Justice: Procedural and Substantive Rights of Fisherfolks

This seminar will explore the role and practical relevance of international legal instruments for the recognition and full realisation of the human rights of small-scale fishers, such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the context of food security and poverty eradication.

Exploring Challenges, Opportunities & Alliances for the Protection of Small-scale Fishers’ Human Rights

This two-hours roundtable is organized by the One Ocean Hub with the support and technical assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The event will explore the need for a comprehensive understanding of the human rights of small-scale fishers and how different mandates across the United Nations System can contribute to enhancing the protection of the human rights of small-scale fishers, fisherworkers, and their communities.

Defenders of the Ocean

This short animation film tells the story of a South African small-scale fisherwoman, Hilda Adams, who poignantly talks about the challenges small-scale fisher communities face. The film explains how the One Ocean Hub works with small-scale fishers, UN agencies and other partners to protect small-scale fishers and their communities human rights during the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries (IYAFA) and beyond.

Ocean & Women

This short film presents the story of a Ghanaian fish worker, Peace Gavour Abla, and discusses the challenges faced by Ghanaian women living in coastal communities. The film highlights the importance of improving the protection of women’s human rights in small-scale fisheries and holding governments and businesses accountable

Cases Concerning Indigenous People's Rights and Fisheries

The report is based on previous publications and cases compiled by the Danish Institute for Human Rights, input from the Expert Meeting organised at the margins of the 2023 Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, as well as additional desk research. It was developed and published with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) through the project “Sustainable Oceans – Pursuing a human rights-based approach to fisheries and aquaculture”