Despite increased recognition of the range and importance of roles played by women in the fisheries sector, there is still a very low presence of women in fisherfolk organisations around the globe. This paper identifies positive examples and lessons learned, pointing to the drivers that have helped in fostering increased women’s participation and leadership in collective action in fisheries. State institutions, social movements and civil society organisations have been identified as some of the key enablers of women’s participation in collective action. The main drivers include the need to secure management roles, modernisation, and the allocation of fishing rights. Although more research on the topic is required, there seems to be consensus on the positive effects for women arising from their engagement in modes of collective action.