Social Accounts Working Group

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Social Accounts Working Group
Credit: Ken Findlay, Inhambane, Mozambique

Background

The Social Accounts Working Group was established by the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) in 2024 to ensure that social, cultural and equity considerations are recognized and accounted for in Ocean Accounting and decision-making about ocean and coastal development.

The Working Group provides a structure for diverse individuals and organizations to collaborate on measuring the human dimensions of ocean sustainability. Social Accounts capture, analyze, and reports data related to how people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods, wellbeing, food security, and cultural practice, recognizing that sustainable ocean development must benefit all communities equitably.

We aim to

  • Support evidence-based policy that recognizes the diverse values of the ocean
  • Raise awareness of the importance of social, cultural, and equity dimensions in ocean decision-making
  • Share expertise and best practices across regions and sectors
  • Build capacity and develop knowledge through training, workshops, and resources
  • Foster global collaboration through joint research, projects, and knowledge exchange
  • Coordinate and implement Social Accounts frameworks for the Ocean globally
  • Provide guidance and leadership on Social Accounts research and practice

Organising Committee

Dr Bernice Serwah Ofosu-Baadu
Dr Bernice Serwah Ofosu-Baadu
Assistant Chief Statistician
Statistics Ghana, Ghana
Prof Joleen Steyn Jotze
Prof Joleen Steyn Jotze
Chief Research Specialist
Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa
Prof Kate Barclay
Prof Kate Barclay
Professor International Studies
University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Dr Tainã (Tai Loureiro) Gonçalves Loureiro
Dr Tainã (Tai Loureiro) Gonçalves Loureiro
University Lecturer
University of Western Australia, Australia
Rachel Thoms
Rachel Thoms
Research Associate
World Resources Institute, USA

Interested in joining the Working Group?

If you're interested in joining the Social Accounts Working Group, please complete the sign-up form below. The GOAP Secretariat will then add you to the group mailing list.

Sign up to join

If you have any questions, please reach out to r.shellock@unsw.edu.au from the GOAP Secretariat.

Learn more about Social Accounts

Social Accounts
Social Accounts are the outputs of capturing, analysing, and reporting of data related to the social, cultural and equity dimensions of the human-ocean relationship within the Ocean Accounts framework.
The Global Ocean Accounts PartnershipGOAP Secretariat