Abstract:
Zanzibar, an archipelago in East Africa, holds significant potential for leveraging
the blue economy for economic growth. However, entrenched gender disparities
pose obstacles to achieving inclusive development. This paper explores
community awareness of the blue economy project, to assess community
perception of the blue economy concept and explore gendered challenges in
advancing the blue economy. Through qualitative methods including stakeholder
workshops involving 38 participants from Unguja and Pemba, data was collected.
It is concluded that the community was informed about Zanzibar's efforts to
implement a blue economy through mass media coverage and speeches by
leaders. It is recommended that Zanzibar's Ministry of Education and Vocational
Training use diversified communication channels like interactive workshops and
educational campaigns to engage directly with community members in the blue
economy. It is concluded that the community's perception of the blue economy
has been influenced by the association of unrelated major components of the
concepts in the blue economy. Zanzibar's Ministry of Education and Vocational
Training works to clarify the relevance of fishing activities to environmental
protection and mining, highlighting its potential benefits for local livelihoods and
economic development. The study concludes that gender challenges persist in
the blue economy, including traditional norms and limited opportunities that
continue to disadvantage women and the disabled resulting in male dominance
in key sectors of the blue economy. In the same way, the concepts of gender
equality and equity remain unclear, hindering the effective integration of gender
perspectives into sustainable development. It is imperative for Zanzibar's
Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to challenge traditional norms and
create equal opportunities for women and to clarify and integrate the concepts
of gender equality and equity into sustainable development frameworks.
