Towards gender equality benefits in culture-based fisheries in reservoir communities in Sri Lanka

Abstract

CBF play a significant role in Sri Lanka’s rural economy, offering employment and food security to communities reliant on inland reservoirs. While both men and women contribute to the sector, gender disparities persist in access to resources, decision making and economic benefits. Despite the potential contribution of CBF to rural livelihoods, gender differences in participation in CBF and their consequences have not been systematically researched in Sri Lanka. The study focused on addressing this knowledge gap by providing a comprehensive analysis of roles and relations of women and men in participating, and in decision-making, in CBF in reservoir communities to identify ways to increase benefits for women. This research is envisaged as a basis for recommendations to enhance equality within this sector in Sri Lanka. A gender-inclusive, multi-method ethnographic approach was used to collect iterative qualitative and quantitative data from households in CBF communities. The study covered 7 reservoirs, located in 5 districts in Sri Lanka. A purposive sampling method was used to select a total sample of 296 respondents (49.6% female, 50.3% male). This sample comprised 32.7% of total fishing households within reservoir communities and a smaller comparative sample of non-fishing households. The main data collection method was qualitative – in-depth interviews – based on a semi-structured questionnaire. In addition to the individual interviews, primary data were also collected through 12 FGDs with women and men. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, while qualitative data were analysed using the thematic analysis method. The study demonstrated that there is potential for women to receive equitable benefits from CBF by engaging in more gainful activities along the value chain. There is a substantial gender gap in decision-making within fisheries societies across these reservoirs, with women being significantly under-represented. Both men and women need to receive systematic attention from fisheries authorities and institutions to ensure access to fisheries resources, suitable training and financial support to overcome these obstacles.