Med News 01/2021

This is the theme selected by the UN Women for the 2021 edition of International Women’s Day (IWD). This theme celebrates the great efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gender mainstreaming as defined by the 1997 agreed conclusions of ECOSOC refers to integrating a gender perspective in national and international public and private organizations, in central and local policies, and in services and sectoral programmes. Gender equality is the overarching and long-term goal, while gender mainstreaming is a set of specific, strategic approaches as well as technical and institutional processes adopted to achieve that goal.

 Gender is woven into the UNEP/MAP mandate. Indeed, UNEP/MAP and the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) have made clear commitments to the advancement of gender equality and women’s empowerment. There is a recognition of women’s key role in promoting a healthy, clean, sustainable and climate resilient Mediterranean Sea and Coast, contributing to sustainable livelihoods and enhancing benefits for all, men and women, boys and girls.

 In line with the UNEP Policy and Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, gender equality has been recognized as a driver of sustainable development for populations around the Mediterranean and a key element of the required transition to sustainability and resilience in the region.

 Promoting sustainable development through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals is at the heart of the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan’s vision under the Barcelona Convention,  in particular SDG 5 that focuses specifically on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls because achieving women’s full, equal and meaningful participation is critical for the achievement of Agenda 2030 as an indivisible whole. This seminal notion underpins the delivery of the UNEP/MAP mandate in the Mediterranean region.

 The meaningful engagement of the female gender for the effective implementation of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols can benefit a greener renaissance in the Mediterranean region and pave the way for the pro-sustainability recovery from COVID-19 that the UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention Secretariat has been advocating since spring 2020.

The State of the Environment and Development in the Mediterranean (SoED) report,  released by UNEP/MAP and its Regional Activity Centre Plan Bleu in October 2020, provided important insights into gender equality in the region. A recognized and implemented gender equality could allow women to fully play their role in the green economy, through green jobs and entrepreneurship and a sustainable brand of economic development that would not come at the expense of nature. As managers of household budgets, women can play an important role in promoting sustainable household consumption and investment; their lifestyle and purchasing decisions on behalf of the household can have sweeping implications for lifestyle, food, agriculture and energy. But unfortunately, as the report notes, obstacles still lie on the road to achieving full gender equality in the Mediterranean region.

 Therefore it would be necessary and urgent to reduce gender gaps in order to benefit from the potential of women in the Mediterranean. Indeed, according to the SoED report, the gender gap index in the Mediterranean countries varies from 20% to 43%, compared to 31% worldwide. As regards women’s political empowerment, the Global Gender Gap Index is 75%, whereas in the Mediterranean region, where the situation is particularly difficult for women, the gap is between 47% and 91%. A sinkhole of this magnitude impedes women’s participation in decision-making processes related to sustainable resource management and environmental protection.

Socially constructed gender roles result in different attitudes towards the environment and different opportunities for women and men to act as agents of environmental change (cf. UNEP Global Gender and Environment Outlook 2016).

 Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment as agents of change, as reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is essential for transformative change needed for a green renaissance - a recovery from COVID-19 that would shift the Mediterranean region’s collision course with nature towards a path of sustainability and resilience.

In the implementation of the MedProgramme, UNEP / MAP recognizes that environmental degradation and climate change have a gender-differentiated impact and tend to disproportionately affect women due to persistent inequalities.

 Gender-based inequalities have been identified and analyzed within the framework of the MedProgramme. Gender barriers that threaten to undermine equitable outcomes of environmental sustainable development have been documented. The list includes women's limited access to land, information, markets, technology and natural resources; their lack of participation in decision-making; and the double burden of responsibilities inside and outside the household. Corrective measures have been designed to help overcome these obstacles.

 The MedProgramme was designed to make women agents of change going beyond the strict notion of vulnerability and capitalizing on their knowledge, experience and skills in the coastal environment.

 One of the most innovative elements of the MedProgramme is the adoption and application of its Gender Mainstreaming Strategy (GMS). The GMS, a key pillar of the program, describes specific gender activities to be undertaken within a set timeframe, with objectives, budget and responsibilities assigned to implementing partners and relevant national partners.

 The gender-related activities of the MedProgramme aim to address gender inequalities in participating countries, strengthen the capacities of implementing agencies and national partners to carry out project activities that benefit both women and men.

 Promoting the development of gender-responsive and gender-aware policy-making is at the heart of the MedProgramme. This is crucial to induce change, to take advantage of opportunities for environmental and social co-benefits (including gender co-benefits).

 Capacity building will be deployed in partner countries with the aim of strengthening the key role of women and livelihood opportunities in coastal areas, by encouraging their participation in the governance and decision-making structures of marine protected areas, by identifying and enforcing addressing gender aspects occurring in the wastewater sector and undertaking gender-sensitive climate risk assessments to strengthen the resilience of women and men equally. The update of the 2005 baseline regarding transboundary issues will, for the first time, include a gender assessment.

In Turkey, fisherwomen have always thrown nets at sea for centuries. But, nowadays, traditional fishing must take into account multiple threats including illegal and mass fishing practices, the increasingly obvious presence of non-native species and other increasingly noticeable effects of climate change.

 Fisherwomen also face other issues related to gender roles on board fishing boats. In a profession still largely dominated by men, the female crew members have long been numerous, however rare have been the female captains. Women's calls for gender equality are finally causing radical change in the traditional fishing sector.

Gulsiye Olmez, a fisherwoman from Akbuk in Gokova Bay, a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Turkey, is the captain of her own boat. Ms. Olmez has been fishing in Gokova Bay since 1982 and learned the trade from her husband. Three decades ago, the couple chose to fish together and have never looked back.

“Gathering fishing nets in stormy weather and mooring the boat safely requires both strength and experience. Passing the necessary test and obtaining a captain's certificate is only part of the equation. Hands-on experience. that's what makes a good captain, ”says Olmez.

 Born and raised in Gokova Bay, Gulsiye Olmez has witnessed firsthand the evolution of the marine environment and fish populations over the years. Illegal and mass fishing practices have reduced fish populations and damaged the region's biodiversity.

 Ms. Olmez believes that the creation of no-take zones will reverse this trend, improve fish populations and improve the livelihoods of traditional fishing communities. She believes this can only be achieved through active management systems, such as the Mediterranean Conservation Society Marine Guard Service System implemented in Gokova Bay, which tracks and stops illegal practices.

 “Being a woman is difficult, but being a female fisherman makes life easier. Despite the physical challenges of this profession, I think every woman should try it to make her life more beautiful ”, observes the Captain.

The views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme.

Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park covers the marine area along the coasts of the Karaburuni Peninsula and Sazani Island in Albania. It is a Marine Protected Area (MPA) which was created in 2010, five years before the creation of the National Agency for Protected Areas (NAPA). This posed management challenges, as only one office of the Ministry of Environment was to oversee conservation throughout Albanian territory, according to Lorela Lazaj, Director of the Regional Administration of Protected Areas in the Vlora region (RAPA Vlora).

“For five years, there was no good management in the MPA,” observes Ms. Lazaj, responsible for the management of six protected areas in the Vlora region. When the regional offices were finally set up within NAPA in 2015, a newly established team led by Ms. Lazaj committed to laying the groundwork for effective and sustainable management of the protected areas under their purview.

One of the main obstacles the team had to overcome was the scepticism of local communities. To demonstrate the importance of conservation to ambivalent fishermen whose livelihood depends on MPA resources, the team used their skills in communication for development: “Protected areas are not forbidden territory because by conserving biodiversity they can support livelihoods and generate greater benefits for the community ”.

Ms. Lazaj admits that convincing local communities was far from straightforward. “The most important thing is to build and maintain trust. If they feel that you are doing this with a good heart, they will believe you and be on your side, ”says Ms. Lazaj, adding that“ together with my colleagues we have succeeded in building an effective management model where women have a leading role plan and management in the protection and monitoring of nature ".

According to Ms Lazaj, "working in the field of environmental monitoring and management is sometimes considered more appropriate for men" but she confirms that the professionalism of her team has shattered this outdated stereotypical perception among communities living in the country within and around protected areas in the Vlora Region. Ms Lazaj also states that: "The MPA is not ours, this area belongs to everyone. So it is not just about management or regulation. It is about ensuring the good- to be for all, a good environment, food and resources for generations to come ”. 

Despite the restrictions related to COVID-19, learning and dialogue continues so that different users of MPAs are more involved in the thinking that supports conservation and sustainable development work.

For more information:  www.akzm.gov.al

The views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme.

Two years ago, Kubra Karadayi Beyoglu and her husband left Istanbul and moved to the seaside town of Kaş where they opened a small restaurant. They cite their fascination with the nature of the Kaş-Kekova MPA as the main reason they settled there.

As an environmentally friendly woman entrepreneur, Ms. Karadayi Beyoglu, who runs her own restaurant called "Zoka Street Food", uses local, seasonal produce. Her days begin with a morning visit to local fish stalls. Today's purchase is instant menu inspiration. Offering a new menu every day comes with challenges, but the Chef says she enjoys the process. This allowed her to forge links with fishermen and to better understand the tempting wealth of local marine biodiversity.

The waters of Kaş-Kekova have recently seen a sharp increase in non-native species (NIS), including lionfish. Although edible, the lionfish was little known to local foodies and had a somewhat creepy reputation. Ms. Karadayi Beyoglu still remembers the first time she was presented with a lionfish: "Don't touch it or you will die," one fisherman told her. "But by doing my own research and learning how to safely clean fish, I realized that it didn't deserve all this dislike."

In a stroke of culinary genius, the innovative woman entrepreneur turned lionfish into a local delicacy. Several other edible invasive species, including the marbled and dark rabbitfish (picot or sigan) quickly followed the lionfish's route namely from the waters of Kaş-Kekova to Ms. Karadayi Beyoglu's restaurant. “People now come to our restaurant specifically for the invasive species we serve,” she says.

As a business owner, Kubra understands that her restaurant is part of a local service network, which is why she appreciates working with other restaurateurs, fishermen and farmers. In addition to generating good business, putting non-native fish on the menu relieves endemic species and turns a plague into a boon. But for this to work in the long term, small-scale inshore fishermen must want to target these species.

 One of Ms. Karadayi Beyoglu's dreams is to meet like-minded women entrepreneurs from other countries. She also believes that there are many chefs, both male and female, in Turkey who would add lionfish to the menus they offer.

 With the restrictions linked to the pandemic, Mrs. Karadayi Beyoglu has started to use social networks to communicate with her customers, but it is not the same thing as welcoming them to her restaurant because according to our chef entrepreneur the invitation “n 'be afraid of the lionfish' at 'a new dining experience' works best with a reassuring smile.

The views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme.

Salha Bent El-Bouri is a celebrity in Kerkennah, Tunisia, where she was born in 1933 and returned at the age of forty to embark on a new career as a female fisherman. "My relatives encouraged me to use the 'Charfia', so I followed their advice."

Charfia fishing in the Kerkennah Islands is a traditional, passive fishing technique that involves embedding palm leaves on the seabed to create a triangular barrier, blocking the path of fish carried away by the ebb tide and channeling them to capture chambers and finally in a net or trap. Unlike bottom trawl systems that scrape the seabed, traps keep fasting fish alive until they are raised.

Since then, Charfia and net fishing have become the source of his income. "I check in the morning and in the evening and always find something". Salha Bent El-Bouri puts the fish in a bag and releases the other species that she knows should not be caught. Sometimes she had a close encounter with a sea turtle and other types of unexpected catches. This shaped his attitude towards marine animals. 

Coming into contact with marine animals has not always been easy for her. “I had this fear of the octopus and I used to bring another woman with me to help me catch them,” she admits. "It went on for years until suddenly I was no longer afraid." She tells how, one day, a huge specimen nearly capsized her boat. "The octopus fought well. I fought back for an hour. I managed to make the most of it and brought her home. She weighed 13 kilos."

 The risky fight with the octopus prompted Salha Bent El-Bouri to take steps to obtain his seafarer's card and insurance. “I have seven children who depend on me. If I die, they will at least receive money to live on ”. She obtained her navigation license quite easily, indicating her as "female captain of a fishing vessel". Her reputation as a strong and independent woman was already well established.

 The most important thing, she says, is to secure the support of fishermen and improve their living conditions. "Everything is possible, but we must be united. Without joining forces, without mutual support, nothing will happen and the Kerkennah archipelago will suffer."

The views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme.

The Tyre Coast nature reserve in Lebanon has been included in the List of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI List) since 2013. The reserve was the subject of a study in 2019 to determine if it still meets the criteria of Annex I of the SPA / BD protocol, including those related to management. The study identified several issues and the reserve was placed in a “period of a provisional nature” - a technical term used to refer to sites that need to improve management within a predetermined time frame to maintain the SPAMI label. Since then, Tyr's management team has worked Tirelessly to address the gaps, including through an updated management plan. “It was very hard, we got there with difficulty,” confirms Ms. Nahed Msayleb, Director of the reserve since 2018.

Prior to taking the reins, Ms. Msayleb had been a member of the reserve committee for 15 years. “The reserve inspired me to do a master's degree in environmental engineering,” she says, speaking of her continued fascination with the site's natural beauty and unique biodiversity. She decided from the start that her mission was to steer the reserve towards sustainability while taking into account social, economic and environmental aspects. "I base all my proposals, all my projects and activities on these three pillars, because I understand that any attempt by omitting one of them would be doomed to failure." 

For Ms. Msayleb, the ASPIM label is an important asset. It contributes to making known the threatened natural heritage of the site and to mobilizing the human and financial resources necessary for its safeguard. “Several studies have already been carried out and will serve as the basis for the new management plan, which is the basis for the management and development of the reserve”. The studies focus on the state of ecosystems, the large bird population, but also on the use of natural resources and socio-economic issues.

 Ms. Msayleb also explained that projects benefiting from SPAMI generally help to better preserve and manage natural heritage but can also stimulate the local economy. She mentioned the COMMON Project, focused on marine litter management, and the MED4EBM Project, the Mediterranean Forum for Applied Ecosystem-Based Management within the framework of the ENI CBC Med Program. As part of the IMAP-MPA Project, Ms. Msayleb and the reserve team are fully involved in updating the management plan for the Côte de Tyre nature reserve and its effective implementation (the MPA component of the IMAP-MPA project is executed by UNEP / PAM-SPA / RAC and financially supported by the European Union).

 For Ms. Msayleb, the dialogue with fishermen for the promotion of sustainable fishing in Tyre is crucial: "the practice has made them see and touch the tangible benefits of sustainability", she said, citing the Drosos Project implemented. work by IUCN in cooperation with the association of local fishermen in Tyre.

 The Director aspires to replicate the success with other stakeholders at sea and on land in the rural area of ​​the reserve. "By promoting sustainable agriculture, we are trying to create a set of agricultural guidelines that farmers in Ras El Ain can use to provide healthier products." The acquisition of a sustainability label brings added value to the product, making it more marketable and therefore more profitable.

 Sometimes, Msayleb observes, there is resistance to ideas that can be rooted in gender biases. But she remains determined to pursue her vision of the reserve. Its priority remains to engage effectively with natural resource users and all stakeholders. “If you don't consider the local community, the MPA may look like a paradise, but it will fail to fulfill its objective of ensuring sustainable local development in harmony with nature,” she observes with insight.

For more information : Facebook page of the Tyre Coast Nature Reserve

The views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme

The role of women in coastal management is often underestimated, although men and women inevitably have an impact on the implementation and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and play different but equally important key roles. as Stakeholders.

 In southern Spain, two women take measures to protect the Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park: Lucía Tejero Trujeque, Director of Conservation of the Natural Park, and Gloria García Hoyo, Technical Assistant and Geologist. Their preferred place of work, Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, has been integrated into the Global Geoparks Network, an association placed under the auspices of UNESCO. The accreditation of the Global Geoparks recognized the geological values ​​of Cabo de Gata-Níjar, its volcanic origin, the conservation of its 63 kilometers of steep coasts and its seabed, its sub-desert and steppe ecosystems, its unique character as natural maritime and terrestrial space and its potential for promoting geological tourism. This tourism has many aspects and the Park is also a victim of its own success. A flagship tourism destination, it also suffers.

“More than ever, we realize that we need to act, and quickly. This year we have seen a large quantity of disposable masks pouring into the sea. These masks represent an additional problem to the one we were already facing with plastics and other types of waste, ”says Gloria García. She adds: "We have jumped at the opportunity to participate in projects in the Mediterranean which aimed to share knowledge and methodologies to analyze the plastic problem and eliminate it sustainably with targeted measures".

On this road to the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park without plastic, Lucía Trujeque and Gloria García are directly supported by the SCP / RAC through two projects funded by the EU (AMP ACT4LITTER and PLASTIC BUSTERS). Under the first project, the SCP / RAC helped MPA managers identify the most effective and feasible measures to tackle marine litter in their specific MPA context, while the second project enabled them go further by implementing the measure on site.

 “We have been fortunate to be able to count on the SCP / RAC team. Here at Cabo de Gata, we didn't know where to start or how. To eradicate the plastic problem, it is necessary to identify the main source of waste, to mobilize all regional actors, to establish an effective action plan and to implement it. Through these projects, we not only received the support of SCP / RAC and other project partners to implement concrete measures, but we also had the chance to participate in many events at Mediterranean level to echo to our work. She also adds: “Being listened to, having the opportunity to meet MPA managers with profiles and actions similar to ours, but in different regions and contexts, has enabled us to better understand and address the scale of the problem. problem. It was also an opportunity to realize that many women also work in MPAs, as in other Institutions, Universities, Governments, NGOs, which have supported us during all this time.

 The implementation, transfer and capitalization of existing solutions with the active participation of MPA managers is crucial to effectively prevent waste from ending up at sea. However, it is not the only solution. The strategy must encompass different types of actors, the approach must be multisectoral and responses must be developed at different scales (local, national, regional and global). The SCP / RAC actively supports the implementation of the regional plan of the Barcelona Convention on Marine Litter Management with a strong emphasis on the prevention of marine litter from land-based sources.

 The SCP / RAC supports the development of a strong policy framework to prevent plastic pollution, including the provision of tools and capacities; stimulates the development of innovative solutions by green entrepreneurs, educates citizens to allow informed consumer choice and encourages dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders. This vision also aims to break down silos between gender actors and to pay particular attention to creating a more gender inclusive environment.

The views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme.