Gender disparities have a long history in most parts of the world. The United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), African Development Bank (AfDB) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) among others are striving to eliminate gender disparities in Africa. Malawi is a signatory to both international and regional conventions, treaties, declarations and protocols enforcing the rights of women and children. At national level, Malawi has a strong legal and policy frame work for human rights which includes gender related rights. However, due to poor implementation, monitoring and policing of these legal and policy frameworks has resulted into gender disparities remaining a challenge to date even in fisheries sector.
Women have low participation in fish value chain there by weakening the economic and nutritional value of fish at household, community, and regional levels. At the moment there is a serious decline of fish consumption per capita from 14 kg per person per year in the late 1990s to about 5.4 kg per person per year in 2017 hence posing a serious national nutrition problem as fish contributes about 40% of total animal consumed in Malawi. Women are involved throughout the fish value chain, however, more participation is done in fish processing and marketing though into as much as men. Limited women participation is observed on the actual fishing although at the moment only 2% of women are gear owners. Several interventions are being made to increase women participation in the fish value chain in Malawi. Dispersed cases of child labour were as well observed across the fish value chain but requires proper quantification. Both Nsomba Mchuma Project and World Fish Centre are as well advocating for a climate smart technology designed to trap warm air inside and dry the fish faster, even during rainy weather in a clean environment without any from dust and houseflies. The technology is reducing deforestation as there is now no need to cut down trees carelessly which were formerly used to smoke the fish. The technology will greatly enhance fish value chain in Malawi. Women are believed to benefit from this technology even more as it tackles the fishing processing and trading nodes where more women participation is in fish value chain.
Among others, there is a need to develop a Fisheries Gender Strategy which should be in unison with the National Gender Policy and the current fisheries regulations. At the same time the said strategy should be well monitored and policed to ensure its implementation adherence by stakeholders.
Key words: gender, policy, fish value chain, Malawi, climate smart technology