For too long, systemic barriers and entrenched gender norms have excluded women and marginalized groups from marine conservation leadership, diminishing the overall resilience and effectiveness of Ocean Conservation Areas across the Western Indian Ocean.
To turn the tide, the Hifadhi Blu Programme has introduced its transformative Gender Action Plan (2025–2029). As a pioneering strategic framework, it is explicitly designed to embed gender equity and social inclusion within ocean governance. Grounded in a comprehensive Gender Analysis Study and WIOMSA’s 2021 Gender Policy, the plan champions a Human Rights-Based Approach. It intentionally recenters the voices, rights, and leadership of women, gender-diverse persons, and underrepresented communities to dismantle inequalities such as unequal access to marine resources.
Through three core objectives, the plan serves as a practical tool for regional stakeholders to mainstream gender across all conservation initiatives. It drives systemic impact through eight critical focus areas, ranging from developing gender-specific policies and improving women’s representation to promoting gender-responsive financing. By addressing these institutional gaps, the framework actively advances Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 14, alongside Targets 22 and 23 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Read the full plan here: https://www.wiomsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MF-WIOMSA-The-Hifadhi-Blu-Programme-GAP-UPDATE-260618-1.pdf
