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Fish processing (Photo: courtesy of Revista Puerto)
The role of women in the fishing sector
ARGENTINA
Tuesday, May 24, 2022, 01:00 (GMT + 9)
Although it represents 50 percent of the labor force in the sector, the occupation of managerial positions is very low and in the maritime sector it represents only 2 percent. Despite the advances, it is estimated that gender equality will only be achieved within a hundred years.
Reducing gender inequality is not only a human rights issue, but also a concern for social and economic development. Different studies and publications from international organizations recognize that women, when additional resources are available, invest comparatively more in food, health care and education for their sons and daughters than their male counterparts, which helps reduce intergenerational transmission of the disease. poverty.
The World Economic Forum estimates that Latin America could only achieve gender parity in seventy years. Globally this could be achieved in more than a hundred years. This data recognizes an unquestionable truth: the inequality suffered by women compared to men when it comes to talking about economic and human development. In the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (“Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”), regulations such as the recent Decree of the National Executive Power of Argentina 144/2022, which regulates the mandatory of offering care spaces for boys and girls in companies with more than one hundred people, are part of a response to policies that aim to promote the leading role of women in economic activity and favor equality between men and women mothers, way to reduce labor asymmetries in terms of gender.
Revista Puerto
In the same sense as the regulation mentioned above, the maritime sector also took a big step. In November 2021, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) proclaimed May 18 of each year as "International Women's Day" in the maritime sector. A recognition for women in the sector, who are present throughout the value chain of the seafood business, although with a variety of situations. For example, according to the World Bank, in the fishing sector the participation of women worldwide is approximately 50 percent of the total labor force. But if we look at the entire maritime sector, according to the IMO, women represent 2 percent of the workforce. And in both sectors, if you want to identify women who occupy positions of hierarchy and decision-making, the task is not easy. Studies by various institutions, and for various regions, show that there is a very low level of participation of women on boards, company management positions, and in international conference exhibitions, both in the fishing and maritime sectors. These examples are just some of the many that exist.
“Glass ceiling” is an expression that is often used when looking at statistics like those described above. The expression refers to the ceiling for the realization of women in public life, generated by stereotypes and cultural constructions of societies over time. This cap stops the pyramidal ascent of women to high-ranking positions and prevents their personal fulfillment in the sphere of public recognition. The introduction of this concept helped to understand that the absence of women in senior management positions was not due to their supposed shortcomings or lack of skills, but rather to cultural and not personal reasons.
 Revista Puerto
In the professional and business sphere, the study "Principles for the Empowerment of Women", carried out by UN Women, concludes that the incorporation of women at all levels is good business for companies, not only because they represent 64 per cent of purchase decisions, but because their creativity, vision and management have proven to be beneficial and generate results for companies. To achieve this, good corporate practices are usually associated with policies and measures that promote gender equality, such as: establishing gender diversity goals to increase the representation of women at management levels, developing female talent in all decision-making positions, commitment to the prevention and elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence when they establish equal remuneration for work of equal value, development of measures against harassment or sexual harassment in the workplace, facilitating the balance between family life and workforce of its staff, and actively involving men.
Definitely, women are fundamental economic agents in the creation of prosperity, employment, innovation, and a powerful engine of growth in their communities. The recognition of the invisible economic value of the tasks of family care (by men and women), added to the development of policies and measures that increase opportunities for women to grow in the decision-making pyramid, is essential to promote sustainable development.
Author/Source: Nicolás A. Jerkovic, Director de EKOSOS / Revista Puerto | ekosos.com (info@ekosos.com)
Edited by Malena Nahum
editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media
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