University of Portsmouth researchers have issued an urgent plea at this week’s UN Ocean Conference in Nice for governments to ensure equal female representation in ocean governance and leadership positions.
Despite women comprising a substantial share of the ocean conservation workforce, they face significant underrepresentation in crucial leadership roles within institutions and decision-making bodies.
Professor Pierre Failler, UNESCO Chair in Ocean Governance and Director of the Centre for Blue Governance at the University of Portsmouth, emphasised: “Ocean health is fundamentally connected to governance structures and who participates in decision-making. By excluding half the global population from these crucial discussions, we hamper our collective capacity to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.”
This appeal emerges as recognition grows that meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals demands better alignment between SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 14 (life below water). Despite advances, structural obstacles – ranging from hazardous working environments to gender prejudice and legal discrimination – persist in blocking women’s access to ocean-related leadership positions.
Dr Sophie Quintin, researcher from the Centre for Blue Governance at the University of Portsmouth, stated: “Rhetoric is insufficient at this stage. Whilst we appreciate recently adopted international frameworks, including the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework and the 2024 CEDAW General Recommendation on inclusive decision-making, these require backing through political commitment, resources, and quantifiable action across all levels. This prompted our contribution as researchers to support Women for Sea and other organisations in coordinating the side-event on women and ocean sustainability.”
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Key recommendations
Working alongside partners, the University of Portsmouth advocates for states and non-state entities at every level to pledge concrete measures, including:
- Mandating equal female representation in ocean conservation and blue economy decision-making bodies
- Implementing gender quotas and rotation frameworks in leadership positions
- Guaranteeing equal remuneration, secure working environments, and access to funding and professional development
- Advancing gender-aware education and mentorship programmes from early career phases
- Systematically gathering and reporting gender-separated data for progress monitoring
Research demonstrates that female inclusion produces superior environmental and economic results. Women’s participation in natural resource management creates more equitable, sustainable and resilient governance structures.
Professor Failler concluded: “Access to a healthy ocean constitutes a human right – as does the right to influence its future direction. Ocean governance cannot achieve effectiveness or fairness without inclusivity. We require everyone’s contribution – particularly women.”
As global marine environmental pressures intensify, the researchers’ message remains unambiguous: gender-equal ocean leadership cannot wait.
