Title: Women's empowerment: the experience of a fishing community in Brazil connected to an international non-governmental organisation

Authors: Regina Yoshie Matsue; Mario Henrique Ogasavara; Fatima Regina Ney Matos; Diego De Queiroz Machado

Addresses: Doctoral Program in Public Health, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu 740, 4º andar, CEP 04023-062, São Paulo, Brazil; Master Program in Health, UNOCHAPECÓ, Av. Senador Attílio Fontana 591-E, EFAPI, CEP 89809-000, Chapecó, Brazil ' ESPM, Post-graduate Program in International Management (PMDGI), Rua Dr. Álvaro Alvim 123, Bloco C, Sala 402, CEP 04018-010, São Paulo, Brazil ' Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, Largo da Cruz de Celas, 1, 3000-132, Coimbra, Portugal; Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal ' Post-graduate Program in Business Administration, University of Fortaleza (Unifor), Av. Washington Soares, 1321, Sala P-17, CEP 60.811-905, Fortaleza, Brazil

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyse a case study of a fishing village located on the northeast coast of Brazil, showing how women are fighting against gender and social inequalities. The local women are organised locally and have the support of a Japanese non-governmental organisation (NGO), Children of Light, in their search for alternative income and ways to empower their lives and their community. Using a qualitative study, based on an anthropological perspective, the fieldwork research included visits to the community and participant observation of the NGOs' activities and women's meetings. Additionally, the open interview was used as a data collection technique. This study shows how the NGO became the women's main partner in their struggle for freedom and better economic opportunities. In cases where important services, representations, and social cohesion are lacking, NGOs play a critical role in governance and value creation for social ends. These events have triggered the community's process of social change; however, the community's empowerment will be consolidated when it becomes economically self-sustainable.

Keywords: local actors; qualitative study; anthropological perspective; non-governmental organisations; NGOs; women empowerment; female empowerment; fishing communities; Brazil; gender inequality; social inequality; alternative income; governance; value creation; social change; self-sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGSDS.2016.076066

International Journal of Gender Studies in Developing Societies, 2016 Vol.1 No.3, pp.236 - 251

Accepted: 11 Jan 2016
Published online: 22 Apr 2016 *

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