Bridging the Gap: Empowering Indigenous Women in Marine Conservation

In a world where the health of our oceans is directly intertwined with the well-being of our planet and our own civilisation, the significance of marine conservation activities cannot be overstated, yet sometimes it seems like we are fighting a losing battle to save our seas. At the end of the day, protecting and preserving ocean health is primarily a human problem, not a scientific or ecological one - we are the ones doing the damage, and only our collective actions as humans can turn things around. In this context, it is worth asking - are we effectively using all the human resources at our disposal to deliver effective marine conservation action? In the ultra-high biodiversity areas of the Coral Sea and Coral Triangle where we work, we realised the answer was "no". It is very clear that marine conservation work requires not only scientific expertise but also the active participation of local stakeholders, because coastal communities are the traditional owners of the marine ecosystems that collectively make up their "Sea Country".

However when we looked closely at which local stakeholders were making decisions about marine resource management, we noticed a lack of active involvement by Indigenous women, despite the fact that women were very concerned about food security for their families, they make up half the population and in some areas of Melanesia under matrilineal land tenure, the lineage of women are the primary landowners. We asked - what might happen if we empowered Indigenous women with the skills, knowledge, and equipment to take a lead role in grassroots marine conservation activities? Thus, the Sea Women of Melanesia program was born.

The Role of Indigenous Communities and Indigenous Women in Marine Resource Management

Indigenous communities play a vital role in marine resource management, offering deep cultural insights that extend well beyond simple ecological expertise. Their traditional wisdom, rooted in generations of interaction with the ocean, can help us address environmental and climate challenges. Moreover, their involvement is not just strategic; it is a moral duty. Living in vulnerable coastal areas, Indigenous people are the first affected by environmental issues yet are often overlooked in management decisions around the use of marine resources. By integrating their perspectives, we respect their experiences and deep connection to the environment.

Within these communities, Indigenous women are crucial. As caregivers, educators, and potential leaders, they amplify conservation values. Integrating them into decision-making blends traditions with ecological balance, advancing gender equality and social justice.

This is where the Coral Sea Foundation's unique approach comes in – we empower Indigenous women with the skills and resources they need to take a greater role in marine conservation and care for their traditional sea country. We highlight the synergy between marine conservation and local engagement, as seen through transformative programs like the  Sea Women of Melanesia (SWoM) and Sea Women of the Great Barrier Reef (SWGBR) training programs.

Main Objectives of the Sea Women Training Programs

Our mission is clear - empowering Indigenous women with the skills and resources they need to take a lead role in creating marine protected areas in the high-biodiversity waters of their own Sea Country. Through our Sea Women training initiatives, we equip these remarkable women with the skills and resources they need to lead in environmental stewardship, particularly around the creation and management of marine protected areas.

Indigenous women in our programs are trained in reef survey techniques and educated on the fundamental principles of marine conservation science. With this knowledge and proficiency in tribal languages, these women can engage with local communities and facilitate the grassroots action that is needed to establish marine reserves in their own Sea Country.

We do this by providing Indigenous women with the pragmatic marine conservation skills needed to establish and manage marine protected areas. These skills include:

• An ability to survey corals and fishes using modern geotagging camera systems

• Maritime navigation with GPS and remote area expedition planning

• Small boat driving

• Scuba Diving 

• Indigenous community engagement strategies.

The importance of the Sea Women training programs

The necessity for the Sea Women training programs arose from the pressing need for action on dwindling fish stocks. The message from the community leaders was clear, they sought knowledge to protect their marine resources and ensure sustainable fisheries for their children and grandchildren.

Our journey started with the Sea Women of Melanesia training program, sparked by the voices of the women in the Papua New Guinean coastal communities in our area of operations who wanted to know what they could do to look after their coral reefs. The Sea Women of Melanesia is now established as a not-for-profit association in Papua New Guinea with all female Indigenous directors, the first NGO of its kind in the South Pacific, and in 2021 the organisation achieved international recognition with the United Nations Champions of the Earth Award in the Inspiration and Action category. In 2022, we launched the Sea Women Great Barrier Reef program in Australia in order to bring women together from around the Coral Sea arc so that they could learn marine conservation skills and exchange cultural knowledge from their respective clan areas.

But why focus solely on women?

Empowering women, especially in developing countries, provides multiple benefits. Birth rates and incidences of domestic violence come down, the health of women and children improves, small business activity increases, and more equitable decisions are made about managing natural resources, including those resources linked to sea country, if women are involved and consulted in the decision-making process. In our specific case, we have also found that Indigenous women are good communicators with community leaders, capable of helping to deliver community consensus around marine conservation action, as well as being precise and careful marine scientists.  

During our Sea Women Great Barrier Reef training program earlier this year, our social science surveys highlighted some of the obstacles to Indigenous women when becoming involved in marine conservation work and confirmed the importance of the skills they received in our training program. The survey results revealed the following:

1. Skills and Training Gaps: Indigenous women expressed their need for more essential skills and training so they can actively participate in marine conservation work.

2. The Monopolization of Training: Training opportunities often favoured Indigenous men, leaving women with limited access to skill-building.

3. Lack of Understanding: Indigenous women lacked understanding about career pathways in marine conservation work.

4. Cultural Preconceptions: Cultural notions that marine work is "men's business" further hindered women's involvement.

We responded not only to the urgent need for marine conservation training for First Nations coastal communities but also to rectify the disparities faced by Indigenous women in accessing the education and pragmatic skills needed to participate in marine conservation work. These programs are designed to bridge the knowledge gap, empower women with skills, and challenge societal norms. By addressing these barriers, we work towards inclusivity, providing Indigenous women with the tools and opportunities they deserve to contribute meaningfully to marine conservation and the sustainable management of their precious marine resources.

Join the Movement: Be the Change, Make an Impact

There is lots more work to do, and we invite you to join with us to be part of the Sea Women solution! Whether you want to participate in capacity building, training, humanitarian aid delivery or our Vessel Development Program, we would like to hear from you. Aligning investments with pragmatic conservation outcomes is not just an option, it's a necessity, and we welcome open communication, partnerships, and investments that can accelerate our mission. Contact us directly through LinkedIn Inbox or email us at [email protected].

Together, we can create robust systems for the sustainable management of marine resources that respect equality and traditional ecological knowledge. Let's sculpt a vibrant legacy for our oceans and the generations to come!

Huge thanks to our Sea Women Program partners who make this work possible:

Jock Clough Marine Foundation Wright Burt Foundation

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Minderoo Foundation Patagonia Kristin Lindblad

Steamships Limited Swire Shipping Melanesian Luxury Yachts

SARAH & SEBASTIAN One Ocean International People4Ocean® Sun Care

Daughters of the Deep