Despite making up 50% of the work force in the small-scale fisheries sector, women are persistently marginalized from decision making processes.  Many women report that they do not feel empowered to contest for local leadership positions and as a result, the needs and interests of women fish workers are poorly represented.  Achieving gender equality in fisheries means overcoming traditional attitudes towards women's participation, which is a considerable challenge in many coastal communities in Tanzania.

Sea Sense champions the economic and social empowerment of women fish workers by designing and implementing tailored capacity building programmes that focus on leadership, financial management and peer-to-peer education skills.  We work in collaboration with the Tanzania Women Fish Workers Association (TAWFA) and its coastal chapter, the Coastal Women Fisheries Organisation (COWOFO), as well as local community leaders and changemakers.