Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination Policy and Strategic Framework for the Fisheries Sector 2024 – 2030

KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA NATION RELIGION KING 4 FISHERIES ADMINISTRATION GENDER EQUALITY PROMOTION AND CHILD LABOR ELIMINATION POLICY AND STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR THE FISHERIES SECTOR 2024 - 2030 Prepared by Working Group on Gender and Child in the Fisheries Sector Phnom Penh 2024 i ii TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ...................................................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................... v GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................................................... vi 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 2. BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Legal Framework .......................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Gender Inequalities and Child Labor Issues ...................................................................... 6 3. OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY ............................................................................................................... 9 3.1 Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 9 3.2 Strategy .......................................................................................................................................... 10 4. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................. 10 4.1 Implementation ........................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Financial Resources .................................................................................................................... 11 5. MONITORING AND EVALUATION ..................................................................................................... 11 6. ANNEXES .............................................................................................................................................. 12 ANNEX 1 .................................................................................................................................................. 12 ANNEX 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 20 ANNEX 3 ................................................................................................................................................. 21 iii PREFACE One of the strategic goals outlined in the Royal Government of Cambodia’s (RGC) Pentagon Strategy- Phase I is to promote gender equality. This objective is intricately linked to fostering women’s participation in leadership roles, safeguarding women’s and children’s rights. These considerations are integral to social protection initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation and economic development, integrated into various policies and government strategies. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) affirmed the commitment to enhance gender equality and women’s empowerment within its area of jurisdiction, including the Agriculture Sector Strategic Development Plan (ASDP) and the MAFF Gender Mainstreaming Policy and Strategic Framework in Agriculture Sector for the period 2022–2026, as well as the Policy and Strategic Framework for Childhood Development and Protection in the Agriculture Sector 2016-2020. Advancing gender equality and eradicating child labor are critical elements for realizing the vision outlined in the Strategic Planning Framework for Fisheries 2015-2024 (SPF). The goal is to develop management, conservation of sustainable fisheries to contribute to ensuring people’s food security and to socioeconomic development in order to enhance people’s livelihoods and the nation’s prosperity. Women constitute half of the entire fish value chain and play substantial roles in the family-based fisheries in Cambodia. Despite the substantial contribution of women across the whole value chain, including captures and aquaculture, and their preponderance in downstream activities like fish selling and processing, their roles are often perceived as an extension of domestic work, leading to undervaluation in economic terms. Women lack opportunities to upgrade their skills, a major factor contributing to their lack of negotiating power and restricted access to leadership positions. The constraints on their time due to reproductive and care responsibilities further impede their economic and social participation, hindering the pursuit of their work-related goals. To enhance gender mainstreaming and eliminate the worst forms of child labor in the fisheries sector, aligning with the effective implementation of the MAFF Policy and strategic framework for gender mainstreaming and childhood development and protection, the Fisheries Administration (FiA) has updated the latest Action Plan for Gender Equality Promotion and Elimination of Child Labor in the Fisheries Sector. In support of the policy update, the FiA Working Group on Gender and Child conducted a Gender and Child Labor Assessment for the Fisheries Sector in 2021-2022. This assessment aimed to provide up-to-date information on the status of gender inequalities and child labor in the sector offering practical recommendations as the basis for revising the Policy and Strategic Framework for Gender Equality Promotion and Elimination of Child Labor in the Fisheries Sector 2024-2030. On behalf of the Fisheries Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, I strongly encourage all relevant line departments and institutions at every level in FiA and development partners to actively engage and collaborate fully in the execution of this policy and strategic framework. I extend this call to all members of the TWGFi and relevant partners with the coordination facilitated by the FiA Working Group on Gender and Children. The implementation of the FiA Strategic Framework represents a significant step towards achieving the goal of gender equality and healthy childhood development for a child labor free future in the fisheries sector in Cambodia. Your commitment and cooperation in this endeavor are crucial for its success. Phnom Penh, ………………...…………………………………. Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia Director General of the Fisheries Administration iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First of all, I, Kaing Khim, Deputy Director of Fisheries Administration and responsible for gender and children in the fisheries sector, together with the members of the Working Group on Gender of the Fisheries Administration, would like to express my deep gratitude to HE Pum Sotha, the Royal Government delegate in charge of the Director of Fisheries Administration supported the implementation and process of updating policies and strategic frameworks to promote gender equality and eliminate child labor in the fisheries sector 2024-2030. The Fisheries Administration Gender Working Group would like to thank the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the European Union through the CAPFISH Capture project for its technical and financial support in the policy-making process and the strategic framework. We would also like to thank the United Nations Industrial Organization (UNIDO) for providing its input and key data on the post-harvest fishery sub-sector while preparing this policy-making and strategic framework as well as active participation in implementation of the policy and strategic framework. Finally, the Fisheries Administration's Gender and Child Labor Working Group would like to thank the leaders of all departments, institutes, relevant institutions, development partners, NGOs and all relevant stakeholders for their input and key data in the preparation process of this policy and strategic framework. Phnom Penh.................................................. Kaing Khim Deputy Director General and Responsible for Gender and Child in Fisheries v LIST OF ACRONYMS ADB Asian Development Bank ASDP Agriculture Sector Strategic Development Plan CDRI Cambodia Development Resource Institute CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CFDD Community Fisheries Development’s Department CFi Community Fisheries CFiAMP Community Fishing Area Management Plan CCWC Commune Council for Women and Children CCPCR The Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children's Rights CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Woman DP Development Partner EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FiA Fisheries Administration PSGCFi Policy and Strategic Framework for Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination in the Fisheries Sector 2024-2030 FiA WG-GC FiA Working Group on Gender and Child Labor FACT Fisheries Action Coalition Team ILO International Labor Organization MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MoLVT Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training MoWA Ministry of Women Affairs MRC Mekong River Commission MSME Micro, small and medium size enterprises NGO Non-Government Organization NPA-WFCL National Plan of Action on the Worst Forms of Child Labor NR Neary Rattanak NSDP National Strategic Development Plan RGC Royal Government of Cambodia SPF Strategic Planning Framework for Fisheries TWGF Technical Working Group for Fisheries UNDP United Nations Development Program WFP World Food Program vi GLOSSARY A Child is every human being below the age of eighteen-years according to article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Child labor is defined as work that impairs children’s well-being or hinders their education, development and future livelihoods. It is work that is damaging a child’s physical, social, mental, psychological or spiritual development (ILO Convention 138). Empowerment is the process of increased opportunities and abilities of women and men to control their life’s. Empowerment of women or men includes increasing their power to make decisions, to have their voices heard, to put things on the agenda, to negotiate and to challenge discriminatory social norms. Fisheries includes not only fish, but also all the actors working throughout the whole fisheries value chain, and a wide diversity of other aquatic animals (OAA) and plants that are used by the population for food, trade and inputs to other activities. OAAs make up a considerable percentage of the wild fisheries capture production and also have the potential for aquaculture development. Further, the Cambodia Law on Fisheries, Chapter 1, Article 2 states: “This law extends the implementation to all fisheries whether it be natural, artificial and aquaculture “. Thus, the term “Fisheries” is considered inclusive of aquaculture, and looks at the whole value chains. Gender refers to socially constructed attributes and opportunities associated with being female and male. It has to do with how society defines femininity and masculinity in terms of what is appropriate behavior for women and men. People are born female or male, but learn to correspond to those societal expectations. Perceptions of gender are deeply rooted, vary widely between cultures, and change over time. Gender determines power and resources for women and men. Gender analysis is the study of the different roles women and men play in order to understand what they do, with what resources and what their needs and constraints are. It provides the basis for addressing inequalities in policies, programs and projects, and can be conducted at multiple levels (household, community and national). Gender equality is when women, men, girls and boys, enjoy equal rights, opportunities and entitlements in in all spheres of life civil and political life, in terms of access, control, participation and treatment. Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same, but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female Gendered-based division of Labor is the assignment of different tasks and responsibilities to women and men. Gender-based assignment of tasks is learned and pervaded by all members of a given community or society. Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies and programs, in any area and at all levels. It is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women and men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programs in all political, economic and societal spheres, so that they benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal is achieving gender equality and gender equity. Gender roles are the roles a society assigns to women and men. They are often conditioned by household structure, access to resources, specific national and global impacts, and other relevant factors, such as ecological conditions. Community fishing livelihoods are strongly gendered—men are frequently associated with capture fishing from boats further from shore, vii and women with near-shore fishing, gleaning, processing and marketing. Group identities such as ethnicity, migration or religion or status can influence gender roles. Gender-sensitive approaches therefore need to account for the differences between women’s and men’s needs, constraints, roles and opportunities, together with other intersections. Gender roles may include: 1) Productive role that generate an income. 2) Reproductive role related to social reproduction such as growing and preparing food for family consumption, and care of children, sick and elderly. 3) Community role that include unpaid and voluntary activities, many times carried out by women, to complement their reproductive role for the benefit of the community, such as planting trees in the flooded forest, student parent committees or membership of fisheries community committees, and agricultural cooperative committees. Gender gap is a concrete example of political, economic, social and cultural difference or inequality between men and women or between boys and girls. The term refers to any disparity between women’s and men’s condition or position in society. It is often used to refer to a difference in average earnings between women and men, e.g. “gender pay gap.” However, gender gaps can be found in many areas, such as the four pillars that the World Economic Forum uses to calculate its Gender Gap Index, namely: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment. Hazardous work is work that jeopardizes the physical, mental or moral well-being of a child, either because of its nature or because of the conditions in which it is carried out. The worst forms of child labor as defined by Article 3 of ILO Convention No. 182: • all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labor, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. • the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances. • the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties; work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children. 1 1. INTRODUCTION Cambodia has a centuries old tradition of processing freshwater fish, wherein women and men working typically fill distinct yet complementary roles. Despite the prevailing notion that Cambodian men do most of the actual fishing, women play pivotal roles across the entire fish value chain. Around 50% of all people active in the Cambodian fisheries are women, fishing together with other family members or on their own boats in inland fisheries, catching aquatic animals through gleaning in the mangroves along the coast-line, the rice-fields and flooded forests along the Tonle Sap Lake, the Mekong and wetlands, or collecting aquatic plants to meet household consumption needs and for household income or engaging in small scale aquaculture for income generation and for consumption. Women assume major roles in the post-harvest sector, undertaking tasks such as cleaning, sorting and grading fish catches. The majority of fisheries post-harvest micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs) involved in the fisheries post-harvest activities Cambodia are owned by women. These women-led MSMEs are in charge of the processing, marketing, retailing and selling of the surplus of fishery products all over the country. Moreover, women actively participate in family-based aquaculture activities and manage fish cage operations, contributing substantially to the construction, repair and maintenance of fishing nets and other gear. However, there is limited recognition of the invaluable roles and contributions of women in fishing communities. Their work remains mostly invisible and undervalued in both research and policy spheres, leaving them without a proper voice and leadership in decision-making processes. Women are notably under-represented in management positions, including within the Fisheries Administration at national and sub-national level (FiA/FiAC), as well as community-based fisheries organizations. This underrepresentation translates into sector limited policy support and budget allocation for addressing women’s specific needs and constraints. Furthermore, there is insufficient data on women’s valuable contribution to the country’s economy and to ensure food security for fishing communities, as for example, there are no comprehensive gender assessments of the aquaculture sector conducted. Moreover, women often face barriers such as less access to land, fish refugee areas, boats, fishing gears and aquaculture-related equipment, new technologies or information. They receive fewer training opportunities in fishing gear, aquaculture, or fisheries management, and the trainings available are rarely tailored to meet their specific needs. For example, women’s interest in building financial and technological knowledge to support their processing businesses or enhance their income-generating opportunities are often overlooked. Women bear a higher work burden due to their socially assigned triple roles in productive, reproductive and community work compared to men. Additionally, they are disproportionally affected by climate change Impacts, crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and gender-based violence and discrimination. This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address these challenges, including promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women in equal representation in leadership, and tailoring training programs to the specific needs and interests of women in fisheries and aquaculture. There is compelling evidence illustrating the transformative impact of gender equality on sustainable development. The pursuit of tender equality and the protection of children from child labor are not just fundamental human rights, but also crucial prerequisites for poverty reduction, the vitality of rural economies and sustainable natural resource management of protecting aquatic ecosystems. Empowering women is an effective way to improve sustainability outcomes, benefitting not only of women, but all members of the family. This, in turn, contributes to lowering food insecurity and diminishing child labor, thereby breaking the intergenerational cycles of poverty. In Cambodia, where more than 20 percent of the total population comprises children under the age of 18, a significant number are involved in various work activities, including fishing fisheries from pre- to the post-harvest. This involvement often hampers their ability to fully enrol in school, hindering the acquisition of basic functional skills, and limiting their future livelihood opportunities. Children are reported to be engaged in tasks such as repairing fishing gears, fish processing, trading, and capture fisheries. Hazardous work for children is damaging their physical, psychological and emotional development, and forbidden for all children under 18 years old to be engaged in. Child labor imposes serious consequences that affect not only the children, but also long-term national economic and social development for sustainable employment, productivity and decent work for adults by creating cycles of intergenerational poverty. 2 Gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment are crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as ensuring fisheries are socially and environmentally sustainable. Over the past 15 years, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) developed a robust policy and institutional framework to promote gender equality and support gender equity in agriculture and fisheries, acknowledging that women’s greater participation in and benefit from interventions and decision-making is key to sustainable and inclusive development. Furthermore, Cambodia has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1992, and adopted the Labor Law in 1997 and policies to protect labor rights and prevent child labor, as well as institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of these, including Prakas and other regulations on child labor. Major policy documents have identified gender inequalities and child labor as root causes of household poverty, poor community development and fisheries management. The Fisheries Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (FiA) affirmed its commitment to enhancing gender equality within its jurisdiction by developing a Policy and Strategy for Gender Mainstreaming in 2007, along with Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination Action Plans (latest FiA GCAP 2016-2020). However, despite these efforts, gender inequalities and child labor persist in the fisheries sector. Even though there is acknowledgement of gender equality in policies and core documents, significant challenges persist at the implementation stage due to the absence of specialised and tailored supporting activities, indicators and resources for translating the gender policy objectives into practical action. The lack of recognition of women’s roles in the fisheries sector, and the underlying gender inequalities that hinder them from realizing their full potential to improve fisheries outputs, were highlighted in the Strategic Planning Framework for Fisheries (SPF, 2015-2024), as well as in the Agriculture Sector Strategic Development Plan (ASDP 2019-2023). This FiA Gender Promotion and Child Labor Policy and Strategic Framework for 2024-2030 (FiA PSF GC) is aligned to international and national commitments on Gender Equality and Child Labor and aims to address these challenges and further advance gender equality and efforts to eliminate child labor for a sustainable, climate resilient and inclusive fisheries sector. The strategic framework was developed by FiA in consultations with relevant development partners and local communities, and aims to contribute to the following interconnected long-term objectives: • Objective 1. Effective mainstreaming of gender equality and child protection perspectives in institutional frameworks and policies • Objective 2. Promote equality of women and men in representation and participation in decision- making for informed fisheries management • Objective 3. Enhance equality of women and men to access economic and natural resources, information, and technology, and protect children from child labor in the fisheries sector • Objective 4. Strengthen accountability and delivery mechanisms, incl. targeted data collection and research on Gender Equality and Child Protection from Child Labor These objectives are further elaborated into specific outputs and activities that have been agreed during stakeholder consultations and validation meetings in 2021 and 2022, as appropriate and desirable for the achievement of the objectives.The recommendations for this FiA Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Strategic Framework from 2024-2030, including affirmative actions to combat Child Labor and empower women and girl in Fisheries, derive from Gender and Child Labor assessments and Gender Analysis conducted in 2020 and 2021 in the context of the European Union (EU) financed Cambodia Program for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Fisheries Sector (CAPFISH) 1 and comprised a series of internal workshops with members of the Technical Working Group of Fisheries (TWGFi) to facilitate reflections on the achievements and challenges in implementing the previous Action Plan (2016-2020) and identify priorities for the upcoming years aligned to national and international commitments. FiA will closely collaborate with TWGFi members, including Development Partners from international and national organizations involved in fisheries and aquaculture programs. The objective is to advance these gender equality and child protection goals. The FiA Working Group on Gender and Children will be on the lead of the coordination of the proposed activities, employing a twin-tracked strategy for the 1 The overall objective of the CAPFISH Program is to support the Royal Government of Cambodia in the achievement of its long-term vision of social and economic development, food security and poverty reduction as initiated with the Deep Fisheries Reforms and laid down in the National Strategic Development Plan. 3 promotion of gender equality, child protection and women’s empowerment throughout the entire fish value chain, including (i) Mainstreaming Gender and Child Labor concerns in Fisheries: FiA will institutionalize gender mainstreaming and child protection considerations, progressively integrating social safeguards into all strategies and plans for the fisheries sector, including aquaculture, and (ii) Affirmative Actions to Empower Women and Protect Children in Fisheries from Child Labor: to address identified gender inequalities and child labor issues, FiA will coordinate the implementation of programs and projects specifically targeting women’s empowerment and/or focus on the promotion of child protection from child labor. 2. BACKGROUND 2.1 Legal Framework Gender Equality International frameworks on Gender Equality relevant to Fisheries: The Cambodian Constitution, in article 31, recognizes upholds human rights as outlined in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human rights. Cambodia has also ratified several international conventions, demonstrating its dedication to advancing gender equality. Noteworthy among these international agreements addressing women’s rights, particularly in the context of agriculture, environment and fisheries, are the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)2, environmentally focused international agreements as the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (1995). Alignment to the Sustainable Development Goals As embodied by the SDG’s, gender equality and women’s empowerment are globally recognized priority development target. The RGC’s alignment with these global goals is embodied in its commitment to reducing gender inequalities. The agenda 2030 of the United Nations has placed the human person as the central subject and beneficiary of their human development agenda, and it recognizes that gender inequality remains as one of the challenges. This FiA GCAP will directly support the attainment SDGs, in particular the SDG 5 on Gender Equality and women’s empowerment3, SDG 10 on reducing inequalities and SDG 14 Life below water. Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF guidelines)4 Gender equality also features prominently in several of the voluntary guidelines, such as the FAO SSF guidelines, that call for equal participation of women and men in organizations and in decision-making processes. One of the goals of the SSF Guidelines is to help transform all the institutional arrangements that make up a society, to eventually root out gender inequality in policies and legislation and ensure both women and men have access to appropriate technologies and services to carry out their work. 2 CEDAW is devoted to gender equality and explicitly defines the right of women to be free from discrimination and maps the range of actions that must be taken to achieve gender equality while also calling on states to embed principles of equality in their constitutions and legislation, including environmental issues, highlighting a key entry point for gender integration in coastal and marine resources. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CEDAW/Pages/CEDAWIndex.aspx 3 In particular SDG 5.4. Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate; SDG 5.5. Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life; and SDG 5.a. Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws; 4 VGGSSF: https://www.fao.org/voluntary-guidelines-small-scale-fisheries/en/ 4 National Frameworks on Gender Equality relevant to Fisheries: Over the past 15 years, the Royal Government of Cambodia has established a robust policy and institutional framework dedicated to advancing gender equality and fostering gender-sensitive agriculture and fisheries. Despite these efforts, the human dimension, with particular emphasis on gender equality or the eradication of child labor, are often neglected in fisheries policies or programs. Some of the key national commitments in this regard include: In line with the Rectangular Strategy for Growth, Employment, Equity and Efficiency, Phase IV, the main Strategic Plan for Gender Equality of the RGC is the Neary Rattanak V (2019-2023) of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA). It states in its guiding document to (i) strengthen the capacity of institutions and mechanisms at the national and sub-national levels to mainstream a gender-transformative approach through the process of formulating and implementing laws, policies, strategic plans, national and sectoral programs at all levels with equity and inclusion (ii) expand the programs on public behavioural change and social attitudes in promoting gender equality and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and girls in the family, community and society; (iii) promote gender responsiveness and transformative approaches in policy frameworks, strategic plans and national programs on economy and entrepreneurship development, and to promote women’s economic empowerment; (iv) strengthen and expand gender responsiveness in national policies and programs related to education and youth, especially higher education for women and girls, education in line with social needs and positive parenting education programs with gender responsive strategies; (v) expand gender responsiveness in health-related policies, strategies, and programs, especially to promote women's and girls' health, nutrition, reproductive health, and sexual health (vi) lead and facilitate the implementation and monitoring of national action plans and strategies related to the prevention of violence against women and girls; (vii) promote the participation of women in decision-making at all levels and the promotion of gender equality in leadership at all levels; (viii) promote women's empowerment to adapt and build resilience to climate change and gender mainstreaming related to climate change policies, development plans and programs. And to (ix) strengthen the capacity of the MOWA and its subordinate units, strengthen the public administration, create a friendly environment, and strengthen the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation, as well as expand the management mechanism and dissemination of information on gender and inclusivity. To strengthen the legal and policy environment to protect women and girls and prevent gender-based violence (GBV), the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women 2019-2023 (NAPVAW III) was formulated. The NAPVAW III aims to reduce violence against women and girls, including those at high risk through increased prevention interventions, improved response, increased access to quality services, and multi-sectoral coordination and corporation. The Cambodia National Council for Women and Children (CCWC) is an inter-ministerial mechanism to oversee, coordinate and report on the implementation of CEDAW and aims to advance gender equality targets, as well as addressing children’s issues. At sub-national level the Women and Children Consultative Committees (WCCCs) were established, as well as the Commune Committee for Women and Children (CCWCs) at commune levels. The National Strategic Development Plan (2019-2023) aims to (i) increase women’s opportunities to decent jobs, to form part of and benefit from environmental protection and peace, as well as technical and vocational skills development, including digital technology; (ii) support female lead small and medium enterprises, including the National Entrepreneurship Fund and the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development responding to gender equality (iii) develop the capacity at national and sub-national level to prevent violence against women and children, including the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women with disabilities and women belonging to vulnerable groups; (iv) increase female representation at national and sub-national levels in all ministries and institutions, and (v) raise awareness on gender equality, women's participation in development. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries affirmed the commitment to enhance gender equality within its area of jurisdiction by developing a MAFF Policy and Strategy for Gender Mainstreaming in 2006. The MAFF Gender Mainstreaming Policy and Strategic Framework in Agriculture, 2022-2026 confirms the gender equality commitment of MAFF, with the following strategic objectives:5 (i) to promote women’s economic empowerment through women’s access to and use of resources and services for women in agriculture; (ii) to strengthen capacities, resources and commitment within MAFF to ensure effective mainstreaming of gender perspectives into the agriculture sector; and (iii) to increase 5 MAFF, 2022. Gender Mainstreaming Policy and Strategic Framework in Agriculture, 2022–2026. 5 women’s and men’s capacity, equal representation and participation in agriculture sector, and (iv) to improve collaboration and coordination between all stakeholders in agriculture sector, climate change and natural resource management. The scope of the strategic framework and 5-year strategic plan encompasses gender mainstreaming and gender-responsive initiatives in all MAFF departments and institutions, and throughout the activities of the agriculture, fisheries, livestock and forestry sub- sectors. The strategic framework and action plan focus on capacity and human resource development on gender in agriculture, and embody a program-based approach in order to enhance coordination and effectiveness in promoting greater gender equality in agriculture. To integrate gender mainstreaming in fisheries, MAFF has collaborated closely with MoWA and other stakeholders (from national to sub-national levels) to establish a ministry-level Technical Working Group on Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination (MAFF TWG GE-CL), and subsequently included the FiA’s Gender and Children Sub-Working Group in the structure. In 2006, FiA organized a National Fisheries Forum to develop their FiA Gender Mainstreaming Policy and Strategy in the Fisheries Sector. The FiA Gender Mainstreaming Policy is aligned to the Gender Mainstreaming Policy of the MAFF and aims to guide the process towards Gender Equality in the fisheries sector, and built up on the following five objectives (incl. specific outputs and indicators): Objective 1: Sector-specific capacity development and awareness raising Objective 2: Gender mainstreaming in sectorial policies, programs and projects Objective 3: Women’s equal representation in decision-making Objective 4: Women’s enhanced access and control over resources at community level Objective 5: Cross-sectorial, multi-stakeholder consultation and communication The former FiA 5-years Action Plan for the fisheries sector was overseen and implemented by the FiA WG-GC. The FiA Action Plan for Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination in the Fisheries Sector (2016-2020), aimed for the following objectives: Objective 1: To build capacity of relevant stakeholders at all levels on gender equality and child labor in the fisheries sector. Objective 2: To promote gender role’s economic empowerment through good practices of Community Fisheries management. Objective 3: To prevent and withdraw children from child labor and from hazardous work in the fisheries sector. Objective 4: To improve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms on gender equality and child labor addressing in the fisheries sector Furthermore, gender has been mainstreamed in fishery policies as e.g. the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (Camcode, 1995), emphasizing on the importance women’s contributions have to fisheries and mainstreaming gender across the sector. The management and development of Cambodia’s Fisheries sector is governed by the Strategic Planning Framework for Fisheries (SPF 2019- 2023), which highlights Child Labor and Gender Inequalities at community level among the major current problems in Cambodia’s fisheries sector. Child Labor The 2030 Agenda and its Target 8.7 of the SDG, together with the impetus provided by the 2021 International Year for the Elimination of Child Labor declared by the United Nations General Assembly, call for a better contribution to the challenging goal of eliminating all forms of child labor by 2025. The International Labor Organization (ILO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) global estimates in 2020 show that child labor is overwhelmingly concentrated in agriculture. In total, 160 million children around the world are engaged in child labor; 79 millions of them are performing hazardous work. Seventy percent of them, 112 million girls and boys between the ages of 5 and 17, are to be found in farming, livestock, forestry, fishing or aquaculture (ILO, 2021).6 Cambodia has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor, namely the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1992, the ILO Minimum Age Convention (No. 138) in 1999 6 International Labor Office and United Nations Children’s Fund, Child Labor: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward, ILO and UNICEF, New York, 2021 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed norm/---ipec/documents/publication/wcms 797515.pdf 6 and the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labor in 2005, the Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict, the UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography and the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons. Article 48 of the Constitution of Cambodia, guarantees child rights in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically the rights to life, education, protection during wartime, and from economic and sexual exploitation. The State has the obligation to protect children from acts that are injurious to their education opportunities, health and welfare. In 1997, Cambodia adopted the Labor Law and policies to protect labor rights standard and prevent child labor, as well as institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws, Prakas and other regulations on child labor. Among the main agencies Responsible for Child Labor Law Enforcement there is the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training (MOLVT) – National Committee on Countering Child Labor (NCCL), Ministry of the Interior – Cambodian National Police Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department (AHTJP) and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation (MOSAVY). The MoLVT endorsed 12 Ministerial proclamations (Prakas) on Working Conditions for Children in different working environments, including high sea and in-land fishing or salt production. Child Labor is prohibited by national law in accordance with international conventions. The Cambodian Labor Law defines the minimum age for employment at 15. The work from children between 15 and 18 should neither prevent the children from going to school nor interfere with their childhood development. A Prakas on the Prohibition of Hazardous Child Labor (2004) lists 38 types of hazardous work, including working underground or at deep-sea and offshore fishing; lifting, carrying, or moving heavy loads; as well as the handling and spraying of pesticides and herbicides. In its Prakas No. 305 on Work in Sea Fishing ( MOLVT, 2007), states that children aged less than 15 years old shall be prohibited to the fishing works. Children aged 15 –18 years old could be allowed to work on the boats only, and shall be not allowed to work in and under the water. In response to the above legal frameworks, the MAFF has formulated a Policy and Strategic Framework for Childhood Development and Protection in the Agriculture Sector 2016-2020 in 2015, that require all sub-sectors to conform with.7 The policy for protecting children targets food insecure households, promotes food security and access to food through diversified and sustainable farming, livestock and fisheries, and calls for synergies created through the integration of gender-responsive and child protection measures. In this way, the two MAFF policies on Gender and Child Protection, complement and reinforce one another. The FiA published Guidelines on addressing child labor in the fisheries sector in Cambodia in 2016. However, gaps exist in Cambodia’s legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including the minimum age for work and prohibiting the commercial sexual exploitation of children. 2.2 Gender Inequalities and Child Labor Issues Small-scale fisheries are often overlooked in academic research and project planning. However, catches from family-based fisheries play a crucial role in ensuring food security and nutrition, and rural economies in Cambodia. Fish and other aquatic animals contribute to around 80% of animal protein consumed, providing especially significant for poorer households. Family-based fisheries is where a majority of women are actively engaged. As of 2018, 516 community fisheries (CFi) had been created, comprising of 475 inland-based and 41 in the coastal areas, with a total membership of 332,168 individuals, of which approximately 35 per cent are women. Nevertheless, in their decision-making bodies, the Community Fisheries Committees, less than 17% of the members are female. Despite declines in fish catch in certain inland areas and coastal provinces in Cambodia, small-scale fishing households tend to continue, rather than abandon their fishing activities, and contribute decisively to the food security of the rural population. The gender division of labor within fishing communities typically adheres to traditional roles and responsibilities assigned to women and men, girls and boys. The division, influenced by gender roles also intersect with other variables such as regions, age and fish-/farming systems, and are constantly changing according to the changes in local conditions such as market opportunities, socio-economic crisis, or climate challenges. Women play a substantial role in the family-based fisheries, making up nearly half of the overall fish value chain, including the primary capture and secondary post-harvesting 7 MAFF, 2015. Policy and Strategic Framework on Childhood Development and Protection in the Agriculture Section, 2016–2020. 7 sector. However, albeit the significant contribution of women at all stages of the supply chain, including fish captures and aquaculture, and their preponderance in downstream activities of fish selling and processing, their role tends to be conceptualized more as an extension of domestic work, and thus is undervalued in the economic sense. This is also the case in the aquaculture sector, where tasks such as feeding tend to be performed by women, but their contribution to the sector remains invisible. The recognition of women’s valuable role in the fisheries sector and the gender inequalities they face has presumably improved in recent years, thanks to the effort of the government and development partners in promoting gender equality in the sector. However, an assessment of the updated status in the last decade was yet to be carried out and include sex-disaggregated data in information systems. Substantial knowledge gaps persist in articulating the challenges women encounter in securing decent work and livelihoods within the fisheries sector, including aquaculture, and reaping the benefits of the improved sector governance. Primary Sector: Freshwater Capture and Aquaculture In family-based inland and marine fisheries, women and men tend to complement and support each other in most operations. Men typically play a significant role in medium- and large-scale capture fishing in the marine sector and to some extent in the Tonle Sap Lake. However, in areas with limited access to agricultural land around the Tonle Sap Lake, as the inundated forests, women actively participate in commercial inland fishery along with their husbands. In instances where the fishing season is short, as it is along the Mekong floodplain, women and men operate boats together, taking fish out of the nets and sorting and cleaning the fish to optimize the household’s labor potential. During the dry season, women engage in capture fishing right at their homes using single fish lines and hooks. They also collect fish and crabs grown in rice paddies, employing small gear to fish and collect snails, frogs and aquatic plants in local wetlands, streams, ponds and rivers. In some cases, they involve their children in these activities. This rice-fish production significantly contributes to household food consumption. Women are engaged in supplying fish gears and are also responsible for assembling and maintaining fishing implements, such as mending gill nets, shrimp traps and fish long lines. Along the seacoast, women are reported to harvest crabs, collect molluscs and other marine resources, engaging in various gleaning activities related to aquatic animals in nearshore areas. In aquaculture, women actively participate in various aspects, such as fish cage operations, bait preparation, fish grading, stocking, feeding and monitoring water quality, sharing these responsibilities with men. However, existing research suggests that gender roles in aquaculture (fish and other aquatic animals raising) are noticeable, with women predominantly involved in household-ponds, but rarely in medium- and large-scale aquaculture management and ownership. The Strategic Planning Framework for fisheries (SPF 2015-2024) recognizes the aquaculture sector, both inland and marine, as one of the four strategic development pillars, to be targeted and promoted, especially given the anticipated decline in capture fisheries stocks in the coming years. Nevertheless, globally, when the sector develops into commercial, large-scale enterprises, women, often in the small-scale farms get squeezed out, and may get trapped in low paid, unsafe employment. Therefore, ensuring the inclusion of women in leadership, governance, capacity building, business and market development, and technology transfer is key and should be incorporated as policy and strategic priorities in government fisheries and aquaculture development frameworks. Secondary Sector: post-harvest processing and trade of fisheries and aquaculture products In Cambodia women dominate the post-harvest sector in fish processing and marketing activities from freshwater and aquaculture. Men’s tasks in the post-harvesting activities appear less related to process knowhow, but mobility transport. Women play a crucial role in processing harvested fish into a diverse range of products, from fermented fish sauce and paste, to salted, dried, or smoked whole fish and fillets. They are at the forefront of MSMEs, dominating both wholesale and retail aspects. Despite the significant contribution of women to the post-harvest fisheries, their work is often considered as extended housework, leading to oversight by academics and underrepresentation in the government statistics. In villages surrounding the Tonle Sap Lake, women are key figures in the retail trade of small fish from the lake and the rice fields. Their participation spans from approximately 50 percent in fish culture to 85 percent in production, processing, marketing and trading. To produce the fermented fish paste (prahok), women-lead small and medium size businesses recruit men and children to help clean fish and other activities during the short production season. Additionally, it is noteworthy that women frequently sell partially processed prahok to small processing factories around the Lake, many of which 8 are owned and operated by women, employing female workers. These factories then sell fully processed prahok and other fish products to traders that supply regional, national and international markets. Women constitute the major players in the marketing of fresh fish, particularly small fish from the Tonle Sap Lake. Women in the coastal areas engage in year-round activities related to fish processing, trading and marketing, like smoking and drying fish, crab peeling, shrimp processing, and the sale of crab meat. In the post-harvest phase of fish raising products from cage operations, women primarily handle processing tasks such as fish paste, fermented fish, dry salted fish, smoked fish, fish sauce, and dried fish for animal feed. Fish raising serves as a significant source of cash income for the families, sometimes representing 50 per cent of household income. However, sales experiences a decline due to COVID- related restrictions from 2021 onwards and markets are still to be recovered. According to some development partners, most backyard ponds of families are too small for commercial aquaculture or suitable for raising small fish species for household food but contribute to generating household income for the family. In the coastal and inland areas alike, women dominate marketing and trading activities. Moreover, women, along with other family members, participate to varying degrees in other agricultural activities, such as rice and livestock production, natural resource management and protection. This includes initiatives like reforestation of mangroves in the coast or inundated forests in the Tonle Sap, as well as income generating activities related to eco-tourism and conservation of aquatic ecosystems. Women often take the lead in managing household and community finances in CFC, playing an essential role in the health and the food and nutritional security of their families. Recent socio-economic and gender analysis in the Fisheries Sector in Cambodia have revealed persistent disparities in gender inequalities and child labor within fisheries. All along the value chain, women encounter significant constraints, that hinder their capacity to develop, upgrade and secure their livelihoods and income. Main inequalities and their consequences, can be summarized as follows: • Lack of gender data: data collecting primary focuses on fish capture and production by commercial or medium-size fishermen. Women’s contribution to the entire fish value chain, such as their catch for family consumption or processing activities. This invisibility in official fisheries statistics hampers their recognition and access to resources, decision-making and tailored services. Consequently, their needs are not adequately considered in budgeted workplans and policies; • Women are under-represented in decision-making: Women are notably under-represented in decision-making processes at both national and sub-national levels, including as within FiA and FiAC as well as related sector organizations at community level (CFIs; CFC). This underrepresentation results in policies and workplans that insufficiently address women needs. Moreover, there is a lack of proper representation of their interests in committees, further marginalizing their roles and impact within Fisheries; • Women face time poverty, bearing a higher workload due to triple roles women assume based on gender division of labor, which assigns women reproductive responsibilities within households and the main share of unpaid care work. The result is a heavy burden for women who are fully engaged productive spheres, such as post-harvesting processing. A similar scenario is observed in the aquaculture sector, particularly when male household members travel outside the community for work. This not only hampers women’s wellbeing, and full participation in social, economic and cultural life, but also limits their productive capacities. The lack of knowledge and evidence on gendered unpaid work, its variations by location, season, and other household livelihood activities, poses challenges in designing policies and action to address women’s time poverty; • Women and men in small-scale fisheries lack skills and benefits from trainings and opportunities: Fisheries programs often overlook women’s needs and constraints, providing technologies, inputs and trainings that do not adequately address women’s needs and concerns. There is a noticeable absence of trainings programs aimed at enhancing business and financial skills for women-led processing MSMEs or women’s leadership. Vocational training on women-friendly technologies or technical inputs for processing or fishing activities is also lacking; 9 • Women lack assets and opportunities to scale-up their businesses: women face obstacles in scaling-up their businesses due to a lack of assets and opportunities. Limited access to low- interest loans from banks or investment capital, challenges in registering businesses, and difficulties accessing trainings opportunities on new technologies, financial literacy, business management or marketing further hinder women’s economic advancement; • Losses are gendered, with processors experiencing higher losses than other value chain actors. Among processors, women are more susceptible to losses than men; attributed to their reduced access to key resources, limited mobility, lower bargaining power, time poverty and vulnerability. • Women and girls face gender-based violence and increased vulnerability during crisis: Discrimination, violence and restrictions due to social norms limit women’s access to resources, education, fair income repartition, participation in associations or networks, decision-making, representation and influence in decision-making, policies and legislations. Moreover, women are disproportionally affected by the impacts of climate change or crisis. Evidence indicates child labor hindering healthy childhood development. Children are involved throughout in various stages of the entire fisheries value chain, often serving as unpaid family labor from fishing through to processing, selling and marketing activities. The majority of fishing and aquaculture communities are impoverished and vulnerable, relying on the collective efforts of all family members to sustain their livelihoods. Girls and boys are assigned different tasks, typically conforming to their parents’ gendered division of labor. Boys over 10 years old, commonly assist their fathers in loading of equipment, rowing, bailing water out of boats or canoes, diving to disentangle nets or scare fish into nets. On the other hand, girls assume roles considered appropriate for females, including shrimp and fish peeling, gutting, slicing, filleting, salting, smoking, drying, packing and selling in the markets, and performing household chores or taking care of their younger siblings. Both, girls and boys engage in sorting and cleaning catch; shore collection of fish and shellfish; and maintenance of gear and net preparation and repairing. In aquaculture, children engage in farm operations like feeding, fertilizing, cleaning and maintenance of aquaculture gear and holding units, harvesting and processing the fish. As a result, girls and boys are exposed to different health and safety hazards (please refer to Annex 3). 3. OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY 3.1 Objectives In order to achieve the overall goal to “advance gender equality and child protection efforts for a sustainable, climate resilient and inclusive fisheries sector”, the following four interconnected long-term objectives were agreed by a multi-stakeholder consultative mechanism: Objective 1. Effective mainstreaming of gender equality and child protection from child labor in institutional frameworks and policies Objective 2. Promote equality of women and men in representation and participation in decision-making for informed fisheries management Objective 3. Enhance equality of women and men to access economic and natural resources, information, and technology and protect children from child labor in the fisheries sector Objective 4. Strengthen accountability and delivery mechanisms, including targeted data collection and research on Gender Equality and Child Protection from Child Labor These objectives highlight key dimensions to be addressed for promoting gender equality and child protection in fisheries, including aquaculture, and specifically respond to the findings of the Gender Assessments and Analysis undertaken in 20218, and are based on a sound theoretical framework. The objectives are further elaborated into specific targets and activities within a Strategic workplan (see Annex 1), that have been agreed during stakeholder consultations and validation meetings as appropriate and desirable for the achievement of the objectives. 8 see FAO, UNIDO and EU Gender Analysis 2021. 10 3.2 Strategy FiA will work in close collaboration with the TWGFi-members, including Development Partners from international and national organizations working on fisheries programs and projects, to advance these objectives on gender equality and child protection from child labor in fisheries, including aquaculture. The priorities identified include medium-term and time-bound targets, as well as delivery mechanisms to track progress over time. The FiA WG-GC will be on the lead of the coordination of the proposed activities and adopt a twin- tracked strategy for the promotion of gender equality, child protection and women’s empowerment: 1) Gender mainstreaming and integrate child protection from child labor considerations: FiA will further institutionalize gender mainstreaming and child labor elimination approaches to progressively integrate into all their strategies and plans for the fisheries sector, including aquaculture. 2) Affirmative Actions to Empower Women and Protect Children from Child Labor in the Fisheries sector: To address the identified gender inequalities and child labor issues, FiA will coordinate the implementation of programs and projects that specifically target women’s economic and political empowerment and/or focus on the promotion of child protection to eliminate child labor at community level. In all cases, FiA will adopt a transformative approach that not only takes into consideration the different needs and constraints of women, men, girls and boys, but also actively seek to challenge discriminatory social norms, behaviors and attitudes that are at the root of persisting gender inequalities and child labor. FiA envisions a fisheries sector in which women’s contribution to the whole value chain is recognized, rewarded and celebrated in leadership, in care and in production, where all women have opportunities of choice, and freedom from violence and exploitation and no woman or girl is left behind. A fisheries sector where children enjoy their rights to a child labor free development and food security for small-scale fishery families is guaranteed. In this context, FiA will adapt an ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM), and ensure that its normative and technical work systematically integrates a gender perspective and responds to the different needs, interests and capacities of women and men, girls and boys, tackling child labor and harmful practices. 4. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 4.1 Implementation The Policy and Strategic Framework on Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination in the Fisheries sector, 2024-2030, serves as the primary guiding document for all departments and institutes under FiA, and Development Partners (DPs) and relevant stakeholders at both national and sub-national level working under the Technical Working Group of Fisheries (TWGFi). The FiA Working Group on Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor in the Fisheries sector will be responsible in facilitating and monitoring the implementation of the Strategic Framework. The main role of the FiA WG-GC is to advise, oversee and coordinate with FiA managers and staff and FiA line agencies, DPs and others. Members and Terms of Reference of FiA WG-GC are presented in the Annex 2. The FiA Gender Focal Points (GFP) of the FiA WG-GC will be responsible to implement and monitor the FiA PSF GC at national level, as well as coordinate with GFP at sub-national level. At provincial level, a FiA Provincial Gender and Child Labor Focal Point Network will be established with one GFP in each respective FiA Cantonment, with the main roles of coordinating the implementation at community and provincial level, as well as the monitoring and evaluation on Gender and Child Labor indicators in their respective area of work. The Provincial GFP will be working closely with the CFi, CFC and CFR and link with the existing Commune Committee for Women and Children (CCWC) and other development partners. 11 Development partners from international and national NGOs, as well as International organizations are invited to align their workplans with this Strategic Framework and report their progress to the FiA WG- GC. 4.2 Financial Resources The allocation of financial resources for the implementation of this Strategic Framework for Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination in the Fisheries sector, needs to be reflected in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries Annual workplan within their regular frameworks. This integration should also extent to collaborations with development partners through projects and programs. At minimum of 5 % of the total budget of each project and program should be allocated to provide technical and financial support to implement this GCAP for the fisheries sector. A key indicator of success in adopting this integrated approach is the establishment of a gender- sensitive, child-centered regular process of budgeting and planning, resulting in the allocation of resources to programs and projects that benefit both, women and men, as well as girls and boys. This will be measured through the monitoring and evaluation efforts of this FiA PSF-GC, which will assess key indicators outlined in the logical framework. Targets for the priority actions of departments are estimated up to 2030 in the Strategic Framework included in the Annex 1, aligned to the gender-sensitive, and child-centered planning and budgeting methodology of the MAFF and the SDGs. 5. MONITORING AND EVALUATION The FiA Monitoring and Evaluation systems need to adapt an integrated approach aligned to this FiA PSF-GC, including gender and child protection indicators at all levels: • At the national fisheries program level: Indicators from the Matrix of the Strategic Framework for Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination must be reflected in the FiA Annual workplans within their regular frameworks, as well as in projects and programs log frames of the TWGFi development partners. At minimum of 5 % of the total budget should be allocated to technical and financial support to implement this PSF-CGLP in the fisheries sector. • At the sub-program level: gender-sensitive activities and child protection should be considered as outcome indicators for each sub-program. • At the activity level: the FiA WG-GC, in collaboration with DPs, will coordinate the delivery of this Strategic Framework and measure the delivery of outputs of each sub-program within the fisheries sector. Monitoring and evaluation will be conducted using the existing FiA reporting system, on both, quarterly and annual bases. The framework may be reviewed at any time to ensure the alignment with significant changes in relevant MAFF or FiA policies. The strategic framework should undergo formal review at the mid-term, initiating the review process at the end of the fourth year. If necessary, an updated strategic framework should be adopted at the end of the fifth year. 12 6. ANNEXES ANNEX 1 Matrix of the Strategic Planning Framework for Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination in the Fisheries Sector, 2024-2030 Objectives/Outcomes Actions/ Prioritized Activities Means of Verification 2030 Targets Responsible and Budget Vision: A sustainable, climate resilient and inclusive fisheries sector approaching Gender Equity, and free from children working in hazardous tasks Overall Goal: Gender Mainstreaming and child labor elimination strategy institutionalized in FiA and coordination mechanisms in the TWGFi development partners’ projects and programs for a sustainable, climate resilient and inclusive fisheries established; Include gender and Child Labor analysis in base- and endline studies for projects and programs planning relevant to the Fisheries Sector. Identify and include specific gender- responsive, and child protection activities and outcome targets in the fisheries projects and programs on capture, conservation, post-harvest value chain, aquaculture, and the management of inland and marine fisheries, reflected in Gender equality and Child Protection indicators integrated in budgeted annual workplans at national and sub- national level. Progress report of the implementation of Strategic Frameworks: Gender Equality and Child Protection objectives of Fisheries and Aquaculture plans and policies, backed by specific indicators. Programs and projects, informed by gender analysis, including related gender budget allocation, action plans and relevant Gender Focal Points. Fisheries policies and frameworks include Gender and Child Protection Targets, namely SPF, National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture Development (NSPAD), Management Plans; Qualification Systems; Good Aquaculture Practices (GAqP), FiA FiAC/CFi workplans, FiA annual action plan and reports, TWGFi workplan and other related frameworks; WG-GC in the fisheries sector and relevant DPs from the TWGFi 13 Objective 1: Effective mainstreaming of gender equality and child protection from child labor in institutional frameworks and policies 1.1: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, as well as Child Labor Elimination efforts mainstreamed in policies and main Strategic Frameworks relevant to the Fisheries Sector, including aquaculture Activity 1.1.1 Develop social safeguards and include in the fishery’s strategic frameworks, emphasizing the social protection of vulnerable and discriminated stakeholders Fisheries Strategic Frameworks Social Safeguards endorsed in fisheries strategic frameworks, in particular the SPF WG-GC in fisheries sector/Development Partners Activity 1.1.2. Include gender equity and child protection from child labor considerations in the process of formulating Management plans, sub- decrees and prakas Management Plans, prakas and sub- decrees Plans, sub-decrees and prakas gender mainstreamed, including targets to eliminate child labor WG-GC in fisheries sector 1.2: Improved gender-responsive budget, including resource allocation for women’s empowerment initiatives Activity 1.2.1: Work with Gender Focal Points from each FiA department to align a specialized entity responsible for fisheries annual workplans AWPB with its PSF GC implementation A specialized entity responsible for fisheries AWPB A specialized entity responsible for fisheries AWPB budget allocated to implement the FiA PSGC is at least 5% of the total; WG-GC in fisheries sector Activity 1.2.2: Set indicators on min. budget allocated for socio-economic resources within CFi mechanisms CFi management plans (CFAMP) 30% of funds for CFi dedicated to socio- economic activities WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 1.3: Gender Analysis is conducted when designing and evaluating fisheries and aquaculture programs and projects Activity 1.3.1: Include Gender Analysis in base- and end line studies for projects and programs Projects and programs base- and end line studies; At least 50 % of base- and endline studies informed by gender analysis; WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Activity 1.3.2: Include Gender Markers for programs and projects in Fisheries and Aquaculture Fisheries and aquaculture programs and projects documents 80% of fisheries and aquaculture projects and programs have a gender marker WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Activity 1.3.3: Nominate PMU Gender Focal Points (GFP) for all programs and projects to liaise with WG-GCL in the fisheries sector PMU GFP list in support to a specialized entity responsible for fisheries WG-GC 80% of projects and programs have a GFP assigned WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 14 1.4: List of hazardous tasks for children finalized and awareness on Child Labor in fisheries sector through CFi raised Activity 1.4.1: Work with MOLVT and DPs to develop the list of hazardous tasks in the fisheries sector for children under 18 years old List of hazardous work (including worst forms of child labor) in capture fishing, aquaculture, and post- harvest Hazardous work list endorsed by TWGFi WG-GC in fisheries sector MOLVT INGOs/Development Partners Activity 1.4.2: Develop and disseminate awareness raising materials on healthy childhood development, free from child labor Awareness raising event reports At least 10 awareness raising events and workshops conducted Objective 2: Promote equality of women and men in representation and participation in decision-making for fisheries management 2.1: Improved gender balance in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries and CFi/CFC/CFR/CCA Activity 2.1.1: Set gender targets and indicators in HR plan to enhance female representation in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries HR guidelines and recruitment procedure reports HR plan gender mainstreamed, including 30% of women in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries WG-GC in fisheries sector Activity 2.1.2: Set gender targets for management positions in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries Decision-making bodies Committees for decision-making have approx. gender parity (min. 40%) WG-GC in fisheries sector Activity 2.1.3: Set gender targets for CFi sub-decrees and Prakas CFi sub-decrees and Prakas CFi Sub-decrees and Prakas gender mainstreamed WG-GC in fisheries sector Activity 2.1.4: Develop guidelines to mainstream gender equality targets in CFi/CFC/CFR/CAA Guidelines to mainstream gender in CFi/CFC/CFR/CAA Enhanced female representation in CFi/CFC/CFR/Cambodia Aquaculture Association (CAA) to 30% WG-GC in fisheries sector 15 2.2: Gender Focal Points (GFP) Network in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries, at national and sub-national level, established and trained Activity 2.2.1: Assign Gender Focal Points in each department, both national and sub-national List of active GFP in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries Gender machinery in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries in place WG-GC in fisheries sector/ Development Partners Activity 2.2.2: Design TOR for roles and responsibilities of GFP TOR for Gender Focal Points at national and sub-national level TOR for a specialized entity responsible for fisheries and coordination mechanisms in place WG-GC in fisheries sector/ Development Partners Activity 2.2.3: Capacity development for GFP built, and workplans per inspectorate with other stakeholders developed Training reports including gender inspectorates’ workplans At least 10 Trainings to GFP delivered and workplans per inspectorate developed WG-GC in fisheries sector/ Development Partners 2.3: Improved capacities within a specialized entity responsible for fisheries on gender equality and child labor issues Activity 2.3.1: Conduct Training of Trainers on gender equality, and child labor for all staff, including refresher sessions National and sub- national training workshop reports At least 10 ToT on gender equality and child labor in a specialized entity responsible for fisheries conducted WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 2.4: Raised awareness in fishing communities on gender inequalities and child labor and build capacity with CFC to address challenges Activity 2.4.1: Develop and implement behavioral change workshops, promoting gender equality and co-responsible care- work at community level, as well as child protection and prevention from child labor Awareness raising and behavior change event reports At least 10 awareness raisings events and behavior change workshops conducted WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 2.5: Women’s leadership skills enhanced and good practices on gender mainstreaming and co- management mechanisms at community level exchanged Activity 2.5.1: Provide trainings on gender equality in leadership, including the exchange of good practices/role models on female leadership for the public and private sector Training Reports At least 50% of women participated in Trainings on leadership, including exchange visits WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 16 Objective 3: Enhance equality of women and men to access economic and natural resources, information, and technology and protect children from child labor in the fisheries sector, including aquaculture 3.1: Enhanced gender equality in the accessibility to modern fishing and aquaculture equipment and tools, including post-harvest processing technologies and trade Activity 3.1.1: Assess women’s and men’s needs and constraints in accessing equipment and technology Gender Assessment report on access to equipment and tools At least 3 gender- specific assessments on equipment and tools conducted WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Activity 3.1.2: Develop projects to improve women’s access to more efficient equipment, fishing gear, licensing, information and technologies Gender-sensitive projects targeting women’s needs to access equipment, information and technologies 40% beneficiaries within projects to receive equipment and technologies are female WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 3.2: Improved financial access for women-led MSME, and advanced business management skills in the post-harvest fisheries and aquaculture sector Activity 3.2.1: Assess women’s and men’s constraints and needs to improve their business effectiveness Gender-responsive business assessments At least 3 gender- responsive business assessments conducted WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Activity 3.2.2: Gender assessment on MSMEs financial literacy, and access to financial institutions, including the review eligibility criteria for business finance and registration Gender assessment report on financial literacy, access to finance and business registration At least 1 Gender assessment for fisheries MSME, and 1 Gender assessment for aquaculture MSME conducted WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Activity 3.2.3: Develop a training program targeting women-led MSMEs to enhance their capacities and skills on business planning and financial literacy Training reports At least 50 women-led MSMEs participated in trainings to enhance their capacities and skills on business planning and financial literacy WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 17 3.3: Women-led MSME and Women Producer Groups enhanced access to new processing technologies, networking and markets Activity 3.3.1: Conduct gender- responsive market analysis within the aquaculture and fisheries value chains Gender-sensitive market analysis reports At least 1 Gender- sensitive market analysis for fisheries MSME, and 1 for aquaculture conducted WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/DPs from TWGFi Activity 3.3.2: Develop a training program on introducing labor- saving and women-friendly modern technologies aimed at enhancing post-harvest handling, value addition and market connectivity Trainings reports At least 10 Trainings on post-harvest technology transfer are targeted to women’s needs, and delivered to women-led businesses WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/DPs from TWGFi Activity 3.3.3: Facilitate forum/business linkage events, along with exchange workshops to empower female traders and processors Reports from forum/business linkage events and exchange workshops At least 10 business forums/exchange workshops organized WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/DPs from TWGFi Activity 3.4.2: Conduct vocational trainings, including life skills trainings for light work based on OHS in fisheries and aquaculture for youth aged 15-18 years old Training reports At least 10 Vocational Trainings for light work in fisheries and aquaculture for youth delivered WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 3.4: Improved safety standards and skills for youth aged 15-18 years old by implementing occupational health and safety standards in workplace and vocational trainings focused on light work Activity 3.4.1: Identify skills and light working conditions based on occupational health and safety standards in fisheries and aquaculture List of skills and light working conditions based on occupational health and safety standards OHS Standards for light work endorsed in FiA; WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Activity 3.4.2: Conduct vocational trainings, including life skills trainings for light work based on OHS in fisheries and aquaculture for youth aged 15-18 years old Training reports At least 10 Vocational Trainings for light work in fisheries and aquaculture for youth delivered WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 18 Objective 4: Strengthen accountability and delivery mechanisms, incl. targeted data collection and research on Gender Equality and Child Protection from Child Labor 4.1: Improved FiA Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, including sex-disaggregated data collection and indicators focused on Gender Equality, and child protection from Child Labor Activity 4.1.1: Build capacities to establish Monitoring and Evaluation mechanisms in line with the specified goals and objectives Training of Trainers reports on gender- sensitive Monitoring and Evaluation At least 5 Training of Trainers for FiA and FiAC on gender- sensitive Monitoring and Evaluation conducted WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Activity 4.1.2: Integrate sex- disaggregated data, and specific indicators to measure gender and child labor elimination achievements into existing data collection and M&E systems FiA Reports and sectoral information systems, and M&E systems FiA Reports and sectoral information systems are sex- disaggregated and include Gender and Child Protection indicators WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 4.2: Enhanced local community M&E system on regular reporting of child labor issues; Activity 4.2.1: Develop recording and reporting modalities on child labor at provincial and community level, in collaboration with NGOs, the Commune Committee for Women and Children (CCWC), FiAC and CFi committee (CFC) Recording and reporting modalities on Child Labor Coordination mechanism, including recording and reporting modalities between the CFi, NGO, CCWC and FiAC in place; WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners 19 4.3: Research and visibility on Gender Equality and Child Labor promoted Activity 4.3.1: Work with academia to include gender equality and socio-economics in curriculum Universities curriculum Gender Equality and socio-economic aspects in fisheries and aquaculture included in universities curriculum WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Academia Activity 4.3.2: Develop gender- sensitive guidelines for TWGFi communication strategy Gender-sensitive communication strategy Guidelines for gender- sensitive communication endorsed in the TWGFi WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Activity 4.3.3: Documentation of case studies on good practices towards Gender Equality and Child Labor Eilimination and dissemination events Case studies on GEWE and child labor elimination At least 5 case studies on Gender Equality, and 5 on Children’s rights in Fisheries and Aquaculture developed WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Academia Activity 4.3.4: Collaborate with research institutions to assess main Gender Inequalities, and Child Labor in Fisheries and Aquaculture Gender Assessments and Child Labor Assessments in Fisheries and Aquaculture At least one sectorial Gender and one Child Labor Assessment in Fisheries conducted, including aquaculture WG-GC in fisheries sector INGOs/Development Partners Academia 20 ANNEX 2 Terms of Reference and Members of FiA Working Group on Gender Equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination in the Fisheries Sector The established a Working Group for Gender and Child Labor in the Fisheries Sector with the following listed members nominated from different departments and institutes within FiA in line with this framework up to 2030, that will be coordinating the implementation of this FiA PSPF GC with Development Partners from the TWGFi: Specific tasks of the Gender and Children Working Group: • To promote the effective implementation of the gender mainstreaming, gender equality and elimination of child labor efforts in the fisheries sector, fisheries master plan and annual workplans with gender-responsive, targets and efforts to childhood protection and child labor elimination; • To coordinate the implementation and dissemination of the Strategic Framework at national and sub-national level and support the GFP in each province; including to monitor, evaluate and regularly report the implementation of the plan for gender equality promotion and child labor elimination in the fisheries sector, including good practices and lessons learnt; • Advocacy on Gender equality Promotion and Child Labor Elimination in the Fisheries Sector, at all levels from national to community levels; • To train national and provincial staff on gender mainstreaming and child labor issues in the fisheries sector, as well as facilitate trainings on gender equality and child labor elimination at community level; • To actively participate in the TWGFi and other sectorial meetings providing recommendations for addressing the issues of gender inequalities and child labor in the sector; • To screen a specialized entity responsible for fisheries programs and projects ensuring that gender mainstreaming and child labor issues are considered and activities budgeted; and • Any other tasks to be suggested by a specialized entity responsible for fisheries and TWGF related to gender and child labor in the fisheries sector, including aquaculture. Name Composition of Gender and Children Working Groups in the Current Fisheries Administration 1. Mrs. Kaing Khim Deputy Director General of FiA 2. Ms. Thach Phannady Deputy Director of Administrative Affairs and Litigation Department 3. Mr. Uy Ching Deputy Director of Fisheries Affairs Department 4. Ms. Heng Ponley Deputy Director of Community Fisheries Development Department 5. Mr. Hang Savin Deputy Director of Samdech Techo HUN SEN Aquaculture National Research and Development Institute 6. Ms. Chin Leakhena Deputy Director of Administrative Affairs and Litigation Department 7. Ms. Sim Thavary Deputy Director of Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute 8. Ms. Chhhy Savry Deputy Director of Aquaculture Development Department 9. Mr. Cheng Touch Deputy Director of Fisheries Conservation Department 10. Ms. Sok Daream Deputy Director of Post-Harvest Technology and Quality Control Department 11. Mrs. Thoung Thavy Office chief of Marine Fisheries Research and Development Institute 12. Mr. Heng Samay Vice office chief of Planning, Finance and International Cooperation Department 13. Ms. Ly Vuochnay Vice chief of office of Administrative Affairs and Litigation Department 14. Ms. Pom Sokhort Vice chief of office of Administrative Affairs and Litigation Department 15. Ms. Bau Sok Heng Staff of Community Fisheries Development Department 16. Ms. Chea Phally Staff of Planning, Finance and International Cooperation Department 21 ANNEX 3 Draft List of hazards and risks of children’s work in fisheries Aligned to ILO/FAO training materials according to the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Tasks Hazards Health and other Risks Sorting, unloading and transportation of catches - Carrying of heavy loads - Use of large machines with moving parts - Exposure to loud noises Joint and bone deformities blistered hands and feet lacerations back and muscle injuries amputation of fingers, toes and limbs hearing loss Preparation of food on fishing vessels - use of sharp blades - use of or working in vicinity of stoves in poor repair cuts burns Diving for certain aquatic species or scare fish into nets - use in deep water - working in polluted water - working in vicinity of dangerous fish - exposure to boat propellers - entanglement in fishing nets death by drowning hypoxia decompression disease dizziness emphysema bites of stings from fish hearing loss from ear infection from rapid pressure change Dangerous fishing operations - trawling vessel gear snagging on a fastener - entanglement in nets - ropes running out while setting the gear - attacks by marine animals death due to capsizing of vessels being swept overboard stings, bites, tail kicks Blistered hands and feet fish poisoning back and muscle injuries Working on boats and in water - Working in deep or polluted water - fumes and odours - use of loud equipment - working long hours and at night death by drowning hunger/dehydration broken bones and head injuries parasitic infections physical, emotional or sexual abuse ear damage, injuries from falls, shark attacks, snake bites contracting waterborne diseases Cleaning, processing, smoking and selling fish - use of sharp tools - exposure to smoke and chemicals - working long hours standing or bending - selling fish during sleeping hours blistered hands and feet lacerations backache and other constrains and disorder exhaustion marketing at night, risk of sexual abuse Reproductive work - assuming high responsibilities in care taking - fetching water or fuelwood from far distances physical, emotional or sexual abuse backache and other constrains and disorder.