Celebrating women across the fisheries and aquaculture value chain in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

30/09/2026

As part of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, the World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Initiative and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) have collaborated to celebrate the vital contributions of women across agrifood systems through two illustrations by young artist Chiara Scalia.

The artworks portray a woman fisher and a woman farmer, highlighting the knowledge, skills and daily work of women who contribute to food production, livelihoods and resilient coastal communities.

According to the State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2025, more than 340 000 women work in fisheries and aquaculture, accounting for nearly 30 percent of jobs in the sector. Yet they remain underrepresented and undervalued, facing barriers to accessing resources and training, securing decent work and participating in decision-making. Recognizing and empowering women is essential to building resilient coastal communities and sustainable aquatic food systems.

As part of its work, the GFCM promotes women’s inclusion in fisheries and aquaculture by engaging with women fishers and women’s groups within the Small-Scale Fishers’ Forum and supporting initiatives such as the Network of Women in Aquaculture.

Initiatives such as the GFCM programme on women empowerment in aquaculture provide targeted training and foster dialogue and exchange, strengthening women’s skills and supporting their full and effective participation in decision-making, including in leadership roles.

Using art as a medium for awareness and dialogue, the illustrations invite visitors to reflect on the contributions of women and the importance of building more inclusive agrifood systems. Presented as part of the WFF flagship event at FAO headquarters in Rome, the exhibition brings together art and agrifood systems to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness of the challenges they face and encourage action towards more inclusive, sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.

The GFCM is a regional fisheries management organization established under Article XIV of the FAO Constitution. With 23 member countries and the European Union, its main objective is to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources and the sustainable development of aquaculture in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

The GFCM’s work on women empowerment is made possible through the financial support of the European Union | General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean | FAO, its main donor, as well as the support provided through the FishEBM projects.