22 September 2021. Sustainability and inclusiveness are at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promoting strategies that place equality of access at the center of attention. The multiple sectors captured under the notion of blue economy offer a lot of potential in improving the inclusion of women in the implementation of blue economy, or simply making their contribution much more visible.

Each of the blue economy sectors in the Euro-Mediterranean region poses specific challenges for women inclusion. Opportunities are to be sought within improving structural barriers (incl. representation of women and decision-making); access to natural, financial and technological resources; improving capacity building; opening up opportunities and challenging cultural and social pre-conceptions. It is important to recognize that fuller inclusion of women improves not only efforts for non-discrimination, but also sustainability outcomes.

The Union for the Mediterranean together with the EMUNI University, with the support of GIZ, is organizing a webinar on Women in blue economy as one of the first regional events dedicated to the theme of women inclusion and opportunities for jobs and sustainability outcomes in blue economy. The event is scheduled online at 09:30 CET on the 22nd of September.

The webinar will map the current engagement of women in various sectors of the Mediterranean blue economy, and identify where more could be done to enhance the participation of women in a sustainable blue economy. The efforts in this domain are motivated by a positive narrative. We ask not only what the barriers to a better engagement of women are, but also how to close the gender gap in the near future, through highlighting concrete initiatives in the region, relating to capacity building, leadership and policies.

For more info, the agenda is available here. Registration is open here.