Laying Down Tracks Podcast: Episode 4 - Equitable Livelihoods, Gender Equality and Aquatic Foods

A virtual conversation on gender equality and women’s empowerment for inclusive and equitable livelihood outcomes in aquatic food systems.

Date: Tuesday, 8 June 2021

Click here to listen to the conversation

On World Oceans Day, the UN Food Systems Summit invited food systems expert, WorldFish’s Global Lead for Nutrition and Public Health and recent 2021 World Food Prize Laureate, Shakuntala Thilsted,  on the 4th episode of the Laying Down Tracks, with hosts, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Director for Africa and Lead of the Summit’s Gender Lever of Change, Jemimah Njuki and Sourcing Matters podcaster, Aaron Niederhelman.

The experts discussed the planet, gender equality, and how we can best engage with the Ocean. “We need women’s voices and leadership to be prominent in food systems. It’s the only way to guarantee that food systems are just. I’ve been working as the custodian for gender equality, working with all of the Action Track leaders, to make sure that gender equality, the empowerment of women, is embedded in these solutions,” said Jemimah Njuki.

Aquatic foods in the future can become a key forum for equality. Shakuntala Thilsted explained how she hopes that winning the Food Prize will inspire young women and girls to study science. “It is extremely rewarding, extremely invigorating-you can reach far – and you can have a good time!,” said the Laureate, who is also the Vice Chair of the Summit’s Action 4 on ‘Advancing equitable livelihoods.’

Host: Aaron Niederhelman, Sourcing Matters podcast
Co-host: Jemimah Njuki, Director for Africa at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Lead of the Summit’s Gender Lever of Change
Guest: Shakuntala Thilsted, Global Lead for Nutrition and Public Health at WorldFish, and 2021 World Food Prize Laureate

Follow WorldFish and hashtag #aquaticfoods to explore past conversations on Twitter.