Abstract
Caribbean governments have recognized the importance of the empowerment of women as an essential poverty-reduction strategy, with the primary vehicle being their access to education and training. The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Women in Development (WID) Programme, since its inception, has provided this access for many Caribbean women, to equip them to enter and contribute in what is undoubtedly a very specialised and male-dominated industry. The milestone of 25 years of IMO WID, is an important juncture to assess the extent to which the maritime sector of Caribbean countries has been impacted by the contribution of women. This study attempted such an assessment, utilizing a survey/questionnaire administered to women who have risen to senior leadership positions in various sectors of the maritime industry in the Caribbean. It evaluated the extent of the role of the IMO WID Programme in supporting their professional advancement and assessed the contribution of these women on the sustainable development of the sector. This study also identified the challenges faced and strategies employed, in order to gain insight which could be used to support the formulation of strategies to further inform the agenda to attract and promote the advancement of women in the maritime sector. It suggests the need for more in-depth research to inform future programmes to empower women in the maritime sector of the Caribbean.
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Notes
- 1.
See also “The Caribbean marketplace; succeeding in a globalizing world” by E. Tromp available at www.centralbankan/indexphp?eid=1734; “The Caribbean Subregional Review and Appraisal Report on the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action” by Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean available at http://www.eclac.org/publicaciones/xml/1/9871/carg0583.pdf.
- 2.
For the purposes of this paper, Caribbean countries are defined as the English speaking countries of the Caribbean that are members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) integration movement, as shown in Table 1.
- 3.
See also “The Caribbean Subregional Review and Appraisal Report on the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action” by Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean available at http://www.eclac.org/publicaciones/xml/1/9871/carg0583.pdf.
- 4.
See also “Building growth into the Caribbean sustainability agenda: A concerted approach” by W. Smith available at http://www.caribank.org/uploads/2012/05/Opening-Remarks-by-President-Bahamas-September-19-2013-FINAL.pdf.
- 5.
See also “A Strategic Plan for the Development of the Merchant Marine Industry: Final Report” by the Merchant Marine Industry Team available at http://www.docstoc.com/docs/20788464/ASTRATEGIC-PLAN-FOR-THE-DEVELOPMENT-OF-THE-MERCHANT-MARINE-INDUSTRY; “Address at the Singapore International Maritime Awards” by R. Lim available at www.mpa.gov.sg/sites/global_navigation/news_center/speeches/speeches_detail.page?filename=sp110412b.xml; “Shipyard increases local jobs 35 % in seven years” by The Tribune available at http://www.tribune242.com/news/2013/feb/22/shipyard-increses-local-jobs-35-in-seven-years/.
- 6.
See also “The place of women in a men’s world from a maritime university perspective” by C. Popescu and A. Varsami available at http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2010/Corfu/EDUCATION/EDUCATION-30.pdf.
- 7.
See also “Women in top jobs: WISTA-UK hears the stories from four women who have pushed the boundaries” available at http://www.allaboutshipping.co.uk/2013/09/22/women-in-top-jobs-wista-uk-hears-the-stories-from-four-women-who-have-pushed-the-boundaries.
- 8.
See also “Women in the maritime industry” by IMO available at http://www.imo.org/MediaCentre/HotTopics/women/Pages/default.aspx.
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Grant, C., Grant, V. (2015). Women in the Maritime Sector: Surviving and Thriving in a Man’s World—A Caribbean Perspective. In: Kitada, M., Williams, E., Froholdt, L. (eds) Maritime Women: Global Leadership. WMU Studies in Maritime Affairs, vol 3. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45385-8_7
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