Women in Africa’s maritime space

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the systemic barriers preventing women's meaningful participation in Africa's maritime sector. It argues that the maritime environment remains heavily male-dominated due to cultural, structural, and workplace obstacles, and suggests that the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda could provide a framework for increasing gender inclusion.

• The maritime sector is characterized by a profound gender imbalance, with women comprising only approximately 2% of the global seafarer workforce. This underrepresentation has persisted over the last decade, and senior positions continue to be dominated by men.
• A critical barrier to improving women's inclusion is the lack of gender-disaggregated data. The absence of sex-specific data in labour surveys and maritime reports renders women's contributions invisible and prevents an accurate assessment of their needs and challenges.
• Women in the maritime sector face significant workplace and societal barriers, including gender stereotypes, discrimination, and sexual harassment. In some cases, women in managerial roles face distrust and abuse, while those at sea may experience isolation or severe violence, such as rape.
• The phenomenon of 'sea blindness'—a lack of public and state awareness regarding the economic and security importance of the maritime environment—further discourages women from pursuing maritime careers, as the sector is perceived as exclusively male or unattractive.
• The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, based on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, offers a potential model for increasing women's participation in the maritime sector, although maritime security is currently absent from WPS frameworks.
• South Africa has seen specific milestones in women's maritime participation, including the appointment of the first Black South African female to command a naval vessel in 2015 and the first female submarine officer in Africa. In the South African Navy, women now constitute 31% of the 7,683 staff, though primarily in supporting roles.
• The 'Blue Economy' approach to sustainable ocean resource use is identified as a vehicle for women's economic and political empowerment, as its success requires the full participation of women.

APA

Reva, D., & Kumalo, L. (2020). Women in Africa’s maritime space. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/sar-39.pdf

Chicago

Reva, Denys, and Liezelle Kumalo. Women in Africa’s maritime space. Institute for Security Studies, 2020. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/sar-39.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Reva |first1=Denys |last2=Kumalo |first2=Liezelle |title=Women in Africa’s maritime space |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=June 2020 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/sar-39.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{reva2020women, author = {Reva, Denys and Kumalo, Liezelle}, title = {{Women in Africa’s maritime space}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/sar-39.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }