During the twentieth century, the idea persisted that work in port and aboard boats was exclusively for men; leaving women with limited participation in maritime and port activities. Gradually, international actors witnessed the importance of guaranteeing gender equity in all spheres. For its part, the United Nations (UN) did the same when considering the empowerment of women in the Millennium Development Goals and later, in the Sustainable Development Goals that would give them continuity. In the maritime field, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) supported the work of women through training in their institutes and the creation of Women’s Maritime Associations, with the purpose of protecting the right of women to full inclusion in the Administrations and Maritime Authorities of their Member States.

In December 2017, a regional conference was held in which delegates from 18 Latin American countries exchanged information and experiences on their performance in the maritime and port sector. They also identified problems that impede the effective performance of women, such as social rejection and sexual harassment, and proposed solutions to them, creating a network of maritime women in the region in search of the path towards the empowerment of women.

This essay developed by Lieutenant Commander SJN. L.D. Liliana Diaz Medina for the Strategic Research Institute of the Mexican Navy, presents a Latin American perspective on the empowerment of women in the maritime sector, based on what was presented at the Regional Conference: “Women in the Maritime Authorities of Latin America and Central America”, held in Valparaíso, Chile, from 13 to 15 December 2017.

To read the full essay, click here (PDF file – available only in spanish).