In 2020, during consultations organised by Cap Business Océan Indien (CBOI), a regional business association covering six Indian Ocean countries and territories, stakeholders identified maritime connectivity – the extent to which islands and coastal states are linked to each other and to global markets by sea, through reliable routes, seaworthy vessels and efficient ports – as a key driver of resilience and equity in the region. And yet the maritime and port sector, which underpins that connectivity, remains a largely male dominated space, with women significantly under-represented in technical and decision-making roles.
To help change this, CBOI turned to the ICR Facility for support on a forthcoming study that maps the barriers women face and sets out a strategy to increase their participation in this opportunity-rich sector.
The study focuses on Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles, four island nations whose economies depend significantly on the maritime and port sector, which encompasses ocean transport, port operations and logistics, seafood exports, customs, maritime insurance and law, civil engineering and emerging green port technologies (such as shore power, which allows vessels to plug into the grid instead of running their engines at berth).
Gaps in representation and opportunity
A survey conducted for the study gathered 130 responses from professionals working in port, customs, logistics and related maritime organisations in the four countries. It finds a telling perception gap about the representation of women in the sector. A slight majority (51%) of the 130 respondents think that women are sufficiently represented, while 45% disagree. However, opinions are split along gender lines, with two-thirds of women saying they are under-represented and two-thirds of men thinking women are sufficiently represented. Moreover, the younger the respondent, the more likely they are to feel that women have unequal opportunities. And this view is borne out by the evidence: for instance, the study estimates that women account for less than 2% of seafarers (people working aboard ships) worldwide.
Women do fill many administrative roles, but they are still rare in leadership positions or aboard ships. And even though the presence of women is growing – for instance, five women were recently recruited as heavy machinery operators at a container terminal in Madagascar – less than 25% of respondents say that they frequently encounter women in the sector. Such visibility can be transformative: one respondent in the Seychelles said: “It was when I saw another woman captain that I realised it was possible.”
There is a lingering belief that some jobs “are simply considered male by default, even if no one says it outright” and that “women still have to prove themselves twice as much men,” especially in technical or field-based roles, according to two survey participants.
“It was when I saw another woman captain that I realised it was possible.”
Another barrier to women’s greater participation is a lack of childcare support. In a context where women take on a disproportionate share of child and elder care responsibilities, 70% of respondents say that working hours and conditions within the sector are ill suited to family life. And 25% of respondents cite harassment and workplace insecurity as additional obstacles. These challenges highlight the perception of a working environment that is poorly adapted to women’s needs.
Survey participants also deplore a lack of inclusive HR policies and government support. “We do things among ourselves, but there is no national policy for women in the maritime sector,” said a respondent in Comoros.
Another barrier is the limited provision of technical training, which more than two-thirds of respondents view as essential for integrating more women into the sector. While this shortage affects both men and women, the limited places available are mostly offered to men with science backgrounds that match the selection criteria. Respondents say that this highlights a gap in the education of girls who “neglect” science courses in secondary school, thereby “excluding themselves” from potential careers. Compounding this, women and girls are unaware of career pathways and opportunities in the sector.
The report’s findings do not surprise Nawshin Mahadooa, Chargée de Mission for the Blue Economy and Sustainable Tourism at CBOI. “When I started working in the fisheries and seafood sector in Mauritius in 2012, I visited factories where the employees were 99% male.” Traditionally, she explains, men in coastal communities went to sea while women stayed home to raise children, and many of these fishermen later moved into port and merchant marine jobs.
Charting a course for change
Encouragingly, nearly three-quarters of survey respondents are in favour of specific programmes to support women in the maritime and port sector. To that end, and while acknowledging that conditions differ across the four countries, the study offers regionally relevant recommendations.
These include developing communications that highlight women’s achievements in maritime and port professions and supporting women in management and leadership roles to speak in public about their work. The study also calls for the introduction of women’s mentoring programmes and for awareness days and open-door events in ports, ships, customs offices and other maritime industry locations.
Women should also be supported to gain the skills and qualifications the sector requires. The study recommends outreach to girls in secondary school to guide them towards scientific training and careers in the sector. It also proposes launching new vocational qualifications and university programmes aligned with sector needs and offering scholarships specifically for women to attract them into male-dominated careers such as navigation and marine engineering.
Working conditions and work-life balance should be enhanced. Recommendations include instituting flexible arrangements, adjusted working hours and agile management that consider women’s roles in childcare solutions. It also entails promoting inclusive work environments by combating sexism and fostering fair organisational culture and inclusive HR policies.
On the left: Virginie Lauret, Executive Director at Cap Business Océan Indien attending the ICR4WEE Conference, June 2024.
Crucially, the implementation of such policies must be monitored. The study recommends the creation of a gender maritime–port observatory to collect, monitor and analyse gender-disaggregated data on employment and career progression in the sector.
Harnessing equal opportunity from the sea
CBOI represents chambers of commerce, professional organisations and a network of 20,000 companies. It is a key interlocutor in regional public-private dialogue, notably on the blue economy. The ICR Facility study supports CBOI’s work in this area as well as its efforts to promote gender inclusion and women’s employment and support the development of skilled labour.
Once the study is finalised, Nawshin Mahadooa expects that it will be presented to CBOI’s private sector stakeholders and key public sector officials, such as ministers responsible for gender policy and port authorities. This will be a chance to clarify what they want to achieve in terms of gender inclusion in the blue economy.
She anticipates that CBOI will work through its chambers of commerce to map relevant stakeholders and to reach out to industry associations, women’s business groups and NGOs for their views. Once this feedback is compiled, CBOI will likely appoint a technical committee that will draw on the study to formulate a regional gender action plan. It will also reach out to the media.
As Mahadooa sees it: “There are few natural resources on the islands. What we have is human capital and the sea […] The blue economy offers as much opportunity as tourism and financial services. Let’s not limit our capabilities.”
The publication of this ICR Story was led by Expertise France (author: Adam Pillsbury). This was produced with the financial support of the European Union (EU), the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the British Council.
The ICR Facility is implemented GIZ, the British Council, Expertise France, and SNV. The contents of the publication are the sole responsibility of Expertise France and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EU, OACPS, BMZ or the other implementing partners.
