[U-04] Promotion of SDGs in JpGU

[U04-05] Importance of career events to encourage education and careers for women in the marine-related fields and their future prospects

*Erika Tanaka¹, Saki Katazakai², Mao Fujii³, Misuzu Oosawa⁴ (1.School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 2.Graduate School of Science and Engineering for Education, University of Toyama, 3.Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 4.School of Marine Resources and Environment, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology)

Keywords:Ocean, Outreach, Women's career, Work-life balance, SDGs

Today, the percentage of women in the marine industry and science is low in Japan; the proportions of Japanese female ocean researchers in 2017 and crews on a ship in 2014 are only 12% [1] and 1.6% [2], respectively. Achieving an increase in the proportion of women in the marine sector requires at least the following three actions: (1) create an environment where the next generation of young females can develop ocean literacy, (2) establish a youth network centered with interdisciplinary and specialized knowledge of the ocean, and (3) provide young generation studying in a marine-related field with female role models. This approach can promote the conservation of sustainable use of the sea (SDG14) and contribute to work towards gender equality (SDG5).

Based on the background above, we held a two-day online career event to empower women studying/learning the ocean in March 2021. The objectives of the event were “Sharing the knowledge on the ocean”, “Having the opportunity to recognize the current situation and problems related to the ocean, to enhance ocean literacy, and to think about future activities”, and “Providing participants with guidance on their careers prospects”. In the presentation, we will report the outline of the event and the results of the questionnaire answered by the participants before and after the event.

[1] IOC-UNESCO (2020) Global Ocean Science Report 2020–Charting Capacity for Ocean Sustainability. K. Isensee (ed.), Paris, UNESCO
[2] Kitada, M. (2015). Promoting Women in the Maritime Industry. Annual report on Maritime Transportation Research, 64, 13-22.
[3] UNDP (2016) UNDP Support to the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals