CERATH Development Organization (CDO) has concluded three stakeholder consultation workshops under its Empower Her Initiative, bringing together fisheries institutions, industry actors, workers, and community stakeholders to contribute to shaping the Initiative’s implementation strategy.
Held between 8 and 20 October 2026 in Accra, Elmina and Prampram, the workshops aimed to validate the Initiative’s strategy against the realities of Ghana’s fisheries sector, encourage collaboration and gather diverse perspectives to strengthen its design and implementation.
The EmpowerHer Initiative is a seven-year public system-strengthening initiative (2025–2032), led by CERATH Development Organization (CDO) in partnership with the Fisheries Commission (FC) and other fisheries sector actors. It seeks to transform Ghana’s post-harvest fisheries management system to advance women’s economic empowerment and leadership, particularly among helpers and carriers, across coastal and inland communities. The Initiative focuses on improving livelihood diversification, expanding standards-based fish certification and licensing, and strengthening gender-responsive policies and service delivery to improve women’s incomes, workplace safety, climate resilience, and agency.
The first Stakeholder Consultation Workshop took place on 8 October 2026 in Accra, bringing together 20 selected participants representing key actors in the fisheries governance and support ecosystem. Participants included representatives of the Fisheries Commission’s regional and district offices, industry associations such as the National Fish Processors and Traders Association (NaFPTA) and the African Confederation of Artisanal Fisheries Organisations (CAOPA), and other relevant sector actors. The workshop provided an opportunity to communicate the Initiative’s objectives, validate its strategic direction, gather institutional and industry perspectives, and identify opportunities for collaboration and improved service delivery to advance women’s economic empowerment and representation in the sector.
The second workshop was held on 13 October 2026 at Elmina Fishing Harbour, bringing together 20 participants from the Central and Western Regions. The third and final workshop took place on 20 October 2026 in Prampram, engaging another 20 participants from the Greater Accra and Volta Regions. Both workshops targeted community-level stakeholders, including fish processors, traders, fish mummies, helpers, carriers and local governance actors. Through learning sessions, group discussions and World Café conversations, participants shared their experiences, identified and prioritised challenges affecting their livelihoods, and contributed practical recommendations to ensure the Initiative’s strategy reflects community realities and promotes inclusive economic opportunities, workplace safety and women’s leadership in the sector.
Insights and recommendations from the three workshops will inform the further development of the EmpowerHer Initiative’s systems-level framework and implementation strategy. Through this consultative process, CDO and its partners aim to strengthen a more inclusive and responsive post-harvest fisheries management system that addresses structural barriers and advances women’s economic opportunities, safety, resilience, agency, and leadership across Ghana’s fisheries value chain.
