READ: Gender and The Sea: Women in the Maritime World History (Tracy Egho)

American University of Beirut: Politics of the Sea

By: Tracy Egho

The significance of a gender viewpoint is being more widely recognized, profiled, and applied in the maritime context (Hansen, 2021). Today, the maritime and allied sectors, including sailors, fisherman, port operators, surveyors, port state control officers, and government officials, remain one of the most male- dominated sectors (Madel). Over the last 25 years, the under-representation of women in the marine industry has not altered appreciably. While the industry has come a long way since the days when nautical folklore held that having women on board could bring bad luck, the profession is still overwhelmingly male-dominated, with the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) estimating that only 2% of global seafarers are women today (2017). The shipping industry is at a decision point. While both the global workforce and seaborne goods are growing year on year, pressure is intensifying due to a global lack of female seafarers. According to this year's International Labor Organization (ILO) study, "gender disparities continue to be one of the most important concerns confronting the world of work." Women's worldwide labor force participation is almost 27 times lower than men's (2017). Gender equality should be seen as a primary priority of the maritime sector, as it indicates a balanced approach to the implementation of Human Rights protections and remedies at sea (Hansen, 2021). Despite accounting for only a small proportion of the marine industry's predominantly male workforce, women are advocating for reform and equality. With various recruitment efforts underway throughout the industry, this paper poses the following question: To what extent was there a place for women in maritime history? The aim is to dive into the gender gap on women’s participation and their potential roles in an evolving marine and maritime industry.

Understanding the fundamental principles of equality and non-discrimination, which leads to understanding gender, gender perspective, gender analysis and goals, and ultimately integrating gender as an operation strategy, is as important in civil society as it is in the maritime context, including its application throughout the maritime industries, the maritime supply chain, NGOs, and State operations at sea (Hansen, 2021). Many women are discouraged from working in male-dominated industries due to a lack of role models, stereotypes about the nature of women's work, discouraging workplace culture, and organizational traditions, whereby carpentry, engineering, building, driving, and so many other professions are still dominated by men (Arulnayagam, 2020). The marine and maritime industry is no exception. Despite all attempts, addressing gender equality and ensuring women's autonomy appears to be a tough challenge. Similarly, shipping is widely seen as a heavily male-dominated business. Accurate figures for female marine transport employees are difficult to come by, particularly in the private sector, which includes commercial vessels and the fishing industry (Kitada 2020). However, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the percentage of female sailors in 1998 was at 2% (Kitada 2020). According to the most recent manpower data, women seafarers account for barely 1% of all seafarers (BIMCO and ICS 2016). This appears to predict a 1% drop in the number of female sailors over the next 15 years. This figure, however, solely covers women in ship operational parts. As previously stated, women presently account for only 1.2 percent of the worldwide seafarer workforce, according to the BIMCO/ICS 2021 Seafarer Workforce Report. This indicates a favorable trend in gender balance, with the study projecting 24,059 women serving as seafarers, a 45.8 percent increase over the 2015 estimate (IMO Website). Within this historically male-dominated profession, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has made a deliberate effort to assist the industry in moving ahead and supporting women in achieving representation that is in line with twenty-first century aspirations (IMO Website). Nonetheless, almost half of this statistic is made up of female cadets and trainees who have not yet fulfilled their 12-month sea time requirement in order to earn a license (Kitada 2020). As a result, fully certified female sailors in ship operating sections would be regarded to represent just 0.5 percent of the total. Women officers are occasionally seen on passenger ships such as cruise ships, passenger ships, and small ferry boats. Even if these figures contributed to a portion of the 0.5 percent, the prior figure of 0.12 percent of women sailors aboard cargo ships would still be a reasonable estimate (Kitada 2020). The IMO has taken a strategic approach to strengthening the contribution of women as major maritime stakeholders within the context of maritime development, and it continues to encourage women's engagement in both shore-based and sea-going positions (IMO Website). One of the most effective strategies to overcome this growing gender gap is to attract a more gender-diverse staff (a difficult task for a traditionally male-dominated business that has only just begun to shed some of its antiquated gender stereotypes) (2017). Since the inception of the IMO's gender program in 1988, this capacity-building program has contributed to the establishment of an institutional framework for incorporating a gender component into the IMO's policies and procedures. This has aided women's access to marine training and career prospects in the maritime sector (IMO Website). Nonetheless, the International Labor Organization (ILO) had a voice in the issue as well. While the focus on Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination as a workplace problem is well established internationally, including within the marine sector, the work of organizations such as the ILO and many others was visible (Hansen, 2021). Thus, the values of gender equality and non-discrimination are inscribed in the ILO Constitution and provided through its conventions, International Labor Conference Resolutions, and ILO worldwide initiatives (Hansen, 2021). Women's responsibilities are expected to alter as they gain empowerment via active engagement in these atypical occupations. It is becoming more vital to go beyond the stereotypical picture of women (Arulnayagam, 2020). Women's engagement in the marine industry or on boards has frequently been discussed in the literature. Researchers seldom acknowledge the voice of women in the marine sector, which includes marine research, fisheries, and aquaculture.

Men have always been the dominating gender in sailing. Political disputes over the need to empower women in the maritime industry are bolstered by the economic assumption that there will be a shortage of maritime officers in the future (Kitada, 2020). Despite labor-market imperatives, progress toward gender equality in the marine sector is now modest. Some attempts have been undertaken in recent decades to encourage the recruitment of female seafarers, but they have had little influence on the overall number of female seafarers operating at sea (Kitada, 2020). The maritime sector is one of the most globally significant industries, accounting for over 90% of worldwide commerce, and it offers a diverse range of career possibilities for those seeking to work in a new working environment with endless potential for (Arulnayagam, 2020). Adventures, on the other hand, are exclusive to the male society. Gender prejudice has had a particularly negative impact on marine-related areas over the years (Arulnayagam, 2020). The maritime business is nothing more than a male-dominated enterprise that denies women the opportunity to be on board just because they are 'women.' The prevalence of social and cultural restrictions that impede and limit women's contributions to society's progress might be the cause for this (Arulnayagam, 2020). Maritime history is replete with tales of enormous sailing ships cruising the world's vast oceans, piloted by rough, swaggering, manly seamen. Although the 19th century sailing vessel was a male-dominated and circumscribed world, women are unquestionably a part of its rich history (2021). For various reasons, women have strayed beyond the status quo, outside cultural conceptions of what is appropriately feminine, throughout history (2021). Responding to urgent circumstances at sea, patriotic wartime duty, economic need, a chance for a better life, the pursuit for adventure, loyalty, and love were among the reasons (2021). There are several instances throughout history that indicate female engagement in historical events, providing a rich core of social history. Consequently, women began to play a more active part at sea beginning in the nineteenth century (Arulnayagam, 2020).

With long-overdue progress toward gender equality in the workplace, women have demonstrated that working at sea can be a meaningful vocation that suits them as well as their male counterparts (Walker). It no longer takes brawn to ascend through the ranks in the marine industry, as women have demonstrated many times. Women in the marine business have a long and illustrious history that is rarely recognized. While there are countless legends from the past about masculine sailors, women have been creating a name for themselves on the ocean for hundreds of years (Walker). For a number of causes, women in history have made forays into formerly male-dominated industries. Women have left their imprint on the history of the marine sector for a variety of reasons. Despite the fact that the population of women in seafaring and marine sciences is still limited, they flourish in dealing with identity management at both sea and land (Arulnayagam, 2020). Despite the difficulties described, women continue to pursue a nautical or marine vocation. Motivation and encouragement should be provided to anyone who choose to pursue a profession at sea, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or age (Arulnayagam, 2020). Many of the difficulties relate to work-life balance and the effects of having a family and apply to women in all occupations. However, there are aspects of a career in marine that make it more difficult for women to achieve when compared to other occupations (Arulnayagam, 2020). Despite the fact that their work is identical to that of their male counterparts, women continue to be paid less (Arulnayagam, 2020).

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), women account for barely 1-2 percent of the world's 1.25 million mariners. 94 percent of these women work on passenger ships (68 percent on ferries and 26 percent on cruise ships), while 6 percent work on cargo boats (Arulnayagam, 2020). Yachts, fishing boats, and naval ships are not the same as merchant cargo ships in terms of their operations and organizational systems. As a result, women sailors cannot be expected to participate because their experience is vastly different from that of cargo ships (Arulnayagam, 2020). Seamen are depicted in literature as being manful and heroic in contrast to women ashore in private home settings, who embody caring, finer rather than harsh ideals, fixity, and unsuitability and/or incapacity to deal with that terrible force of the sea (Arulnayagam, 2020). Only in the last several decades have women emerged as a prominent component of the nautical sector. There have been a few female pioneers who have shown to be competent mariners. In response to the underrepresentation of women in the maritime industry, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established various projects to encourage women in the maritime industry (Kitada, 2020). During the years 1988–1996, the IMO concentrated on developing a gender strategy in order to construct formal institutional structures that would incorporate gender balance in their strategic aims. From 1997 until 2004, the program went through a sensitization phase, including regional marketing. Since 2004, the IMO has been involved in the strategic development of regional associations for female maritime professionals (Kitada, 2020) and in April 2013, the IMO organized a regional conference in Busan, South Korea, linked to the establishment of a worldwide plan for female seafarers. In the drafting of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, the International Labour Organization (ILO) provided some support to women seafarers by including specific requirements to ensure the conditions of shipboard facilities for women. Separate sleeping rooms and sanitary facilities for men and women are among the prerequisites (Kitada, 2020). As previously noted, many data show a modest rise in the number of female seafarers; yet, the efforts of international organisations appear to have helped to the development of female seafarers to some extent. As a result, it is critical to speak out against the nautical sea-based industry's lack of female involvement. During the last few decades, notable changes have occurred. Women have reformed their labor markets and lives by improving their educational backgrounds, allowing women to participate in male-dominated areas such as the shipping industry (Arulnayagam, 2020). Cultural norms have shifted, and women are actively pursuing nautical and maritime careers. Nonetheless, prejudice and hindrances from society impede their ability to do so. According to the literature, women who pick shipping as a career face "glass ceilings" (Arulnayagam, 2020). The belief that women are unsuitable for maritime vocations is a hurdle for female seafarers, and it is a widespread prejudice (Kitada 2020). Furthermore, a widely believed old notion in Europe is that when ladies are on board, they bring ill luck at sea (Kitada 2020). Kitada (2020) identifies the following as some of the hurdles that women encounter in the marine sector. The major obstacle for female sailors is a problem that women employees in male-dominated industries face in general: a lack of understanding and preconceptions about women's abilities to work. Gendered labor divisions are still prevalent in many regions of the world (Kitada 2020). Women are regarded to be more appropriate for 'caring' employment, whilst men are more likely to be suitable for muscle-required or management jobs. Stereotypes for masculine and feminine vocations are culturally and socioeconomically established, and they prevent the opposite gender from entering a gender-segregated business. An overarching gender equality development strategy that reduces bias against women in general would effect how women seafarers are regarded and welcomed on board as well as in shore communities world (Kitada 2020). As a result, integrating women into maritime employment should be a long-term strategic goal for the sector. Nonetheless, the required information for women interested in maritime employment is difficult to get or may simply be unavailable world (Kitada 2020). As a result, the lack of transparency may provide an additional obstacle to women interested in working at sea. Aforementioned, Kitada (2020) reflects on the difficulties that female figures face in the workplace.

Today, there is an unparalleled level of awareness and interest in the need to enhance women's roles in marine operations. With good cause. It is past time to improve this trend by expanding chances for women to obtain education and experience in nautical operations (Walker). It is also critical to change the culture of the marine industry in order to eliminate the biases that women face on a daily basis (Walker). "We need women's capabilities at sea," says Lena Dyring, assistant director for cruise operations at the Norwegian Seafarers' Union and an ITF women's representative for the seafarers sector. Without them, meeting the need for competent mariners will be considerably more difficult. It is critical that we do not instantly eliminate half of the possible applicants based on outdated beliefs that they cannot work at sea." Fortunately, there is evidence that attempts to do so are producing results, despite the fact that gaining experience among women in the field is a difficult undertaking. Shipping and seafaring have been increasingly varied in terms of race, class, and nationality since the first ships set sail (Walker). Sailors work for a combination of private owners and corporations, reflecting the complicated and globalized industry on which the international economy is based. However, the variety of the motley crew of global mariners has yet to take on a noticeable mix of men and women — with many maritime jobs still reserved for males. The lengthy connection between (mainly) males and the sea has also established considerable cultural impediments to women's engagement in sailing. This is no justification for women's persistent exclusion, or for neglecting to encourage the numerous women who have pushed above old gender conventions and achieved significant gains in boosting women's involvement in nautical (Walker). Women's job advancement in such an unpleasant sphere of work requires organizational support and strong peer connections (Arulnayagam, 2020). Concerns about probable retention rates are relevant to the subject of women as a potential resource to meet the existing and expected future scarcity of trained officers. The impression of the significance of women's dedication to home should not be acknowledged in women's professional marginalization (Arulnayagam, 2020). The importance of encouraging women to work in the marine sector has been widely recognized across nations as a result of international initiatives such as the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 (Kitada 2020). Despite the fact that women appear to be welcomed in the maritime sector, actual progress in encouraging female sailors appears to be slow. Others maritime businesses are still hesitant to hire female seafarers, and some outright refuse to accept female applicants because of their gender, as this issue was widely highlighted by attendees at the IMO's regional meeting in Busan in 2013 on the formulation of a worldwide strategy for women seafarers (Kitada 2020). A future issue will be how women's roles and contributions to maritime development are recognized and portrayed. If women are to be fully involved in the maritime sector, conversations must go beyond inclusion in just one or two areas, such as environmental work or entrepreneurship, such as ship ownership (Walker). Creating a community of experienced women in marine jobs must take place at several levels and across the industry. It is critical to have women in positions of power, but this must not come at the price of nautical experience, education, and training. According to the industry, it is simpler to advocate for change on the economic or entrepreneurship side – and it is here where present female engagement is most visible (Walker). Women's admission into other industries, particularly security, should not be underestimated. "Women make up 39.3 percent of the worldwide workforce." Women sailors, on the other hand, account for just 2% of all seafarers on the high seas. There is a need to bridge this gender gap, and this can only happen if we raise public knowledge of this profession while also sensitizing male seafarers to accept women on board the ship as equals, showing proper respect to their perspectives, and working effectively together as colleagues." said Capt. K.N. Deboo, Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre Director and Principal. Nonetheless, one hopeful indicator is the increase in the number of women gaining education and training for jobs such as marine piloting, which involves navigating ships into ports and harbors (Walker). However, statistics only convey half of the tale. Women who go to sea must receive multi-level and multi-sector experience, such as managerial or engineering roles, rather than being restricted to entry-level or low-paying jobs (Walker).

The development of effective policies and tactics for female seafarers appears to have been gradual during the last few decades. On an international level, the MLC 2006 establishes a minimum level of working conditions for women seafarers and is the sole legal tool to ensure its implementation, albeit it is limited to ratifying countries) (Kitada 2020). International legislation, such as the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the International Labor Organization's Maternity Protection Convention (C183), have a higher degree of priority that applies to all human beings on the planet (Kitada 2020). Women have been included into social, political, and economic agendas since the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 5 goals to achieve gender equality. As a result, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recommended that the maritime industry actively promote female human resources (Arulnayagam, 2020). WMU and IMO are also taking steps to encourage Pacific women to work in maritime transportation and marine energy (Arulnayagam, 2020). These efforts were followed by the IMO's World Maritime Day (WMD) 2019 theme, 'Empowering women in the maritime community,' which corresponded to SDG 5. More Maritime Education and Training (MET) institutes have opened their doors to women in recent years for enrollment in navigation and marine engineering courses (Kitada 2020). This demonstrates the disparity between education and employment for female mariners. The issue is that, despite the fact that more women are acquiring education and training as seafarers, they encounter difficulties in obtaining work at sea (Kitada 2020). IMO considers fair acknowledgement of women's contributions to the maritime sector by creating the Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector (IWMS) initiative (Arulnayagam, 2020). International organizations working to narrow the gender gap prioritize education. Under the auspices of the IMO and WMU, women have been strongly encouraged to pursue marine-maritime education and, as a result, marine and maritime jobs (Arulnayagam, 2020). Despite successful efforts to increase female students in MET in accordance with global initiatives, few women obtain licenses, and as a result, progress of women seafarers is gradual, and it appears that several measures to increase industry involvement have failed (Kitada 2020). All women have the right to pursue the degree and job of their choice. Women's roles in the marine and maritime industries are definitely expanding, and the potential for women's voices to contribute in these sectors, particularly in terms of achieving long-term goals, is growing (Arulnayagam, 2020). Separation from family might be addressed as a barrier for women entering the maritime business, although developments in telecommunication technology could be viewed as a positive step forward for female sailors (Arulnayagam, 2020). "Task limitation based on sex" should be avoided in order to avoid women becoming invisible or being barred from participating in higher-value activities (Arulnayagam, 2020). However, constant efforts are essential to capture the moment of recognition in terms of encouragement and support for narrowing the gender gap (Arulnayagam, 2020). Despite all that, such international accords are only effective if each country incorporates them into its national legislation. These national rules govern shipowners and other stakeholders, and they ban gender discrimination (Kitada 2020). While such regulations must be tightened at the national level, a variety of instruments, such as guidelines and codes of behavior, should be created and implemented.

All in all, it is important to acknowledge that despite the lack of women figures in the maritime industry, the sector has witnessed a shift in the whole gender differentiation perspective. And this is definitely noted as a step on. Despite the continuous efforts, the developments done within the industry, and with the help of the international community, are still slow. Such changes can’t be drastic and needs time and commitment, especially in a space that was traditionally perceived as male-dominated. Women on the other hand have stepped up and showed their determination within the maritime industry. Gender related issues will always be present not just in the maritime industry or at sea, but everywhere. It is how society constructed our way of perceiving genders and their interpretation in the workforce and day to day live. But our job is to let go of those prejudices and focus on bringing out the best of our industries, especially that the maritime industry is one of the largest and most productive ones on the globe, its profits and interactions targets everyone to some extent. As such, the productivity in the core of the maritime industry must be a common goal regardless of being a male or female. To wrap up, it is crucial to note that diversity in the workforce is essential and the world should be working towards maintaining equity and equality between both genders for a more stable future.

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