Pioneering report on status of women scientists

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) launched a pioneering report, “Empowering Women from LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS in Deep-Sea Research,” on 30 June at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

The report provides detailed information resulting from the first ever gender mapping undertaken in the field of deep-sea research and related disciplines.

The report also identifies the critical barriers faced by women scientists from least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS) to participate in deep-sea research and related fields and access leadership positions.

The Secretary-General of ISA, Michael W. Lodge, opened the event, which presented an opportunity for international experts to share their experiences, including François Houillier, President of Ifremer, Dr. Wan-Hyun Choi, President of the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Dr. Suzan Mohamed El-Gharabawy, Head of Marine Geophysics Department and National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries of Egypt, Dr. Zoe Jacobs.

In his remarks, Secretary-General Lodge reiterated the importance of a full and effective participation of women in science as an essential prerequisite to enabling scientific and technological advances to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and associated targets.

“Despite numerous initiatives adopted and implemented at global, regional and national levels, women continue to be underrepresented in ocean science, particularly in highly technical areas like deep-sea research and leadership roles,” he said.

“Unless a systematic change is introduced to reduce the gender gap, existing ocean-based sectors as well as emerging and future ocean-based sectors such as marine energy and marine minerals will continue to suffer from the same lack of gender parity.”

Speaking at the launch of the report, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Miguel de Serpa Soares, recalled that “all States have recognised the importance of achieving gender equality in Sustainable Development Goal 5 and the targets and indicators thereunder. (…) Women’s participation is essential to reaching our goal of sustainable ocean management and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14”.

The report was produced under the Women in Deep Sea Research (WIDSR) project, jointly implemented by ISA and UN-OHRLLS to advance women empowerment and leadership in deep-sea research and related disciplines, especially women scientists from LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.

(Read more here: https://www.isa.org.jm/news/isa-launches-pioneering-new-report-status-women-scientists-ldcs-lldcs-and-sids-deep-sea)

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