Call to action during Immersed in Change side event ©Karla Perez

"We are guardians of the ocean

We are women with power

We are from America and the sea

We love to care for and conserve

In the fight for real equality

To have our voices recognized

To achieve change and inclusion

With leadership and passion

Pura Vida!

Women of the ocean!

Long live the ocean!"

Immersed in Change side event ©Karla Perez

Isla Chira: A transformative encounter

For three days, on Isla Chira, Costa Rica, 25 women leaders of marine and coastal communities from Latin America and the Caribbean gathered to share their stories and challenges. Participants discussed issues related to marine biodiversity protection, sustainable fishing practices, and climate change mitigation. Women expressed their concerns and aspirations, culminating in a call to action for gender equality and women's empowerment in marine and coastal communities.

Isla Chira activities ©Paula Rabanales

Paula Serrano, president of the Federation of Artisanal Fishers of the area of influence of Coiba National Park, Panama, was one of the women attending this significant meeting. Paula, a female leader in artisanal fishing, shared her life story: as a child, she learned to fish from her family and now she promotes the inclusion of more women in the fishing sector. She has contributed to increasing, by 40%, the participation of women in leadership positions within fisher organizations from the Gulf of Montijo

"The integration of women in fishing organizations is giving us visibility. We are powerful and intelligent women; we can achieve great things and benefit our communities." - Paula Serrano

COMMCA's Technical Secretary during Guardians of the Ocean side event ©Karla Perez

Immersed in Change: Raising voices on the international stage

The side event "Guardians of the Ocean," held in preparation to the Third United Nations´ Ocean Conference, provided a fantastic platform to present a call to action to the international community. Marine and coastal leaders, government representatives, and international organizations discussed priority issues and emphasized the importance of including women in decision-making processes for effective marine governance.

Marine and Coastal Woman Leader Signing the Call to Action ©Paula Rabanales

The event was organized by the Costa Rica Ministry of Women, with the support of Wildlife Conservation Society, Conservation International, UNDP, GEF, and other stakeholders. One of the strategic partners for the Sustainable Pacific Project, the Technical Secretary of the Council of Ministers of Women of Central America and the Dominican Republic (COMMCA-SICA), Dr. Laura Godoy, participated in the international panel. In her intervention, Dr. Godoy emphasized the importance of integrating a gender perspective in all marine conservation projects, and the need for women to play a central role in decision-making. She applauded the call to action presented by the marine and coastal women, which also emphasizes the need for inclusive and equitable policies, to ensure the full participation of women in marine resource management. Dr. Godoy also addressed critical issues, such as eradicating gender-based violence, dignifying women's work, recognizing the homecare economy, and guaranteeing access to quality health services in coastal communities.

The Sustainable Pacific Project, with its transformative gender approach, is demonstrating that effective integration of women in marine management is essential for the sustainability of our oceans. For this purpose, the project is promoting the inclusion of a gender perspective in all actions by:

• Implementing an action plan that guarantees the equitable participation of women at all project levels, promoting their involvement in work teams and decision-making.
• Integrating gender issues to improve governance and ecological benefits sharing, crucial for the sustainability of marine resources.
• Implementing interventions in the fishing sector and related activities to eliminate and prevent gender-based violence, creating a safer and more equitable environment for women.

With the continued support of international partners and the drive of local women, we will advance towards a future where gender equality and marine conservation go hand in hand.

Paula Serrano - President of the Federation of Artisanal Fishers in the area of influence of Coiba National Park ©Paula Rabanales

Contact: For more information, please contact Karla Pérez at kperez@wwfca.org  

About the project: Sustainable Pacific is a regional initiative implemented by UNDP through the executing partner WWF and funded by the GEF. This project aims to strengthen the management of the Pacific Central American Coastal Large Marine Ecosystem (PACA LME) and unite the efforts and commitments of participating countries — Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama — with the vision of consolidating a resilient and sustainable blue economy.