In time for the International Women’s Day , Filipino leaders expound the life of women seafarers and the challenges that they continue to face.SHEfarers is a term used by Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Christian Halaas Lyster to describe women on board or the minority of maritime workforce. Although many are expressing interest to join the field, the Seafarer Workforce Report showed that the global average of women seafarers is only at 1.2 percent.
To further delve into this, the NTC invited maritime experts in a symposium to discuss difficulties on board. Various Filipino leaders on Wednesday, March 8, tackled the hurdles faced by the majority of women seafarers. These include pay gap, persisting health issues, discrimination, exploitation, sexual harassment, violence, and limited opportunities for promotion.
During a panel discussion, Dr. Christian Angelo Didoy explained that 48 percent of the respondents said they have problems seeking medical care on board; 37 percent stated that they do not have access to sanitary bins; while 18 percent raised sexual harassment as an issue. “Most women, especially cadets, encountered such avoidable circumstances. I, myself, unfortunately experienced such treatment,” said Boongaling.While the leaders already made it clear that women should be given more space in the maritime industry, they also stressed that this does not entail giving preference for women. This, the panelists reiterated, is only to ensure that women can also be competent in the field.