Equitable and open access to education is recognized as a facilitator in the advancement and empowerment of women and girls. The World Bank has reported that 94% of girls in the Caribbean attend schools and in the context of tertiary education, women outnumber men at the University of the West Indies (UWI) at a rate of 7:3. If graduation statistics reflect a similar trend, the number of professionally qualified women will consistently exceed the number of men attaining tertiary level education. While this data suggests advances for gender diversity in workspaces, the subscription to education and training in certain professions remain heavily male dominated. Data on Maritime Education and Training (MET) indicates a female to male ratio of 1:5 for tertiary level seafaring programmes at The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) and that this trend is mirrored in other Caribbean Territories. Low female enrollment rates therefore indicate a corresponding low level of female graduates entering seafaring as a profession.
This paper provides a maritime gender baseline for MET in the Caribbean region. Policies, laws, relevant international instruments, human development reports, along with the level of implementation in relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, Quality Education and 5, Gender Equality, is also examined in reference to MET. Increasing the number of female seafarers is an imperative for the sector as research indicates that female participation of corporate boards effectively enhances financial performance. With the many challenges facing the shipping community, can we afford to exclude women from seafaring opportunities? Leveraging inclusive education is therefore a tool for promoting gender equality and enhancing the performance of the maritime sector.