WOMEN OF THE SEA, A SEA OF WOMEN
In 1993, all companies believed that women on board a ship would bring bad luck. This changed four years later, when women on board became a source of great pride. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) stated that 2% of the workers in the maritime sector constitute 1.2 million women seafarers, of which 94% belong to the cruise industry. Previously, the community used the term seafarers to refer to men working on board ships. As part of its commitment to gender equality, the Maritime Labor Convention has changed the term seafarers to seafarers since 2016.
Women as seafarers face multiple stereotypes. This includes that they should not be on board, and some are advised to abandon their careers, seek other work ashore. In fact, male seafarers regularly highlight the negative side of seafarers trying to create a stressful environment for women to realize that they should not be on board ships. There is also a rule that in several countries women must take mandatory pregnancy tests. This forced pregnancy testing is both degrading to women seafarers and a violation of their gender rights. Sexual harassment and gender-based bullying seem to be genuine and ongoing problems for women seafarers. Yet, there are women who have managed to prove otherwise by succeeding in their careers as seafarers.
Women seafarers have the right to protect themselves from maternity rights and discrimination problems on board by taking action through the International Transport Workers' Federation, which establishes special rights for women seafarers, such as maternity, harassment, abuse and discrimination. Maternity rights differ depending on the workplace. In terms of bullying, abuse and discrimination among women seafarers is a very serious issue. Arbitrariness and intimidation, including sexual abuse, are abuses against civil rights and life on board ship. There is another guideline applied by the International Labor Organization under the Maritime Labor Convention for abuse and intimidation.
Since the maritime industry is an open sector, it provides a great opportunity for potential candidates with skills, ability and good performance for the collective benefit. Despite that, more men are taking advantage of these opportunities than women. In the diverse landscape of the maritime industry, it is relevant to note that the seaport plays a huge role for the maritime industry, especially the shipping industry, to thrive and grow over time. This is evidenced through the basic objective of the seaport which is to provide fast and safe transit of goods and passengers. Another role played by some large seaports is to serve as hubs and transshipment centers, allowing cargoes on different long-distance routes to be served more efficiently by various vessels.
And although many organizations are committed to gender equality, women continue to be underrepresented at all levels due to higher expectations to "do more". This is despite the fact that women are better qualified than men. Most people and companies assume that women are well represented in leadership roles, but not in the workforce, which means that women and men view gender diversity differently. Men see the workplace as equitable, while women see it as a biased and less supportive environment. It is common to find women receiving less support to embark on the maritime field. The perception of a "male-dominated industry" has become a common agenda over many decades, defining men as the "resource" to perform all tasks in this sector. However, it is undeniable that gender inequality is slowly being diluted in this sector, as more opportunities have been offered to women, although they still face numerous challenges...
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