Authors :
Anna Karadencheva
Volume/Issue :
Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 2 - February
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/5n6u8vv2
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/ywxxnmc4
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14979643
Abstract :
Gender equality within the Blue Economy remains a critical yet often overlooked development area. Despite the
indispensable contributions of women to this sector, they encounter substantial obstacles to both participation and career
advancement, primarily due to entrenched gender-based inequalities. This paper highlights the significance of gender
equality in the Blue Economy. It presents empirical findings from a survey conducted with 73 professionals in selected
maritime organizations across the Republic of Bulgaria. The study offers valuable insights into the unique skills and distinct
advantages that women bring to the shipping industry. These insights can significantly contribute to the sector's growth,
innovation, and long-term sustainability.
Keywords :
Shipping; Gender Equality; Soft Skills; Women; Sustainable Development.
References :
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- International Maritime Organisation (IMO), "Women in Maritime," [Online]. Available: https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/technicalcooperation/paginas/womeninmaritime.aspx. [Accessed: Feb. 18, 2025].
- Y. Ishida, "Perspective chapter: Patriarchy and masculinity represented in the diaries of seafarers analyzed from the perspective of Marxist feminism—Domination structure of seafarers and the marginalization of women," in Feminism-Corporeality, Materialism, and Beyond, IntechOpen, 2023.
- M. Kitada, "Women seafarers and their identities," Ph.D. dissertation, Cardiff University, 2010.
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- U. Yildirim, et al., "In-depth exploration of challenges faced by women in the Turkish maritime industry: A qualitative study," Work, vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 527-539, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-211458.
- WISTA, "Women in Maritime Survey 2021. A study of maritime companies and IMO Member States' maritime authorities," [Online]. Available: https://wistainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/Women-in-maritime_survey-report_high-res.pdf. [Accessed: Feb. 24, 2024].
Gender equality within the Blue Economy remains a critical yet often overlooked development area. Despite the
indispensable contributions of women to this sector, they encounter substantial obstacles to both participation and career
advancement, primarily due to entrenched gender-based inequalities. This paper highlights the significance of gender
equality in the Blue Economy. It presents empirical findings from a survey conducted with 73 professionals in selected
maritime organizations across the Republic of Bulgaria. The study offers valuable insights into the unique skills and distinct
advantages that women bring to the shipping industry. These insights can significantly contribute to the sector's growth,
innovation, and long-term sustainability.
Keywords :
Shipping; Gender Equality; Soft Skills; Women; Sustainable Development.