Empowering teachers in maritime education and training (MET) through gender-equality training: A bottom-up approach for the implementation of current legislation

Abstract

An increasing awareness of gender equality in the maritime sector is notable in recent years. While it is a good step forward, gender equality is often integrated into a diversity management agenda for leaders, but it is unclear how to apply the philosophy of gender equality in Maritime Education and Training (MET) led by teachers. It is evident that top-down approaches for the implementation of gender policies are often insufficient to achieve gender equality because they may fail to provide tools for an effective application and to recognize and consider the autonomy of practitioners who can actively contribute to gender equality with their work in different useful manners. The paper argues that bottom-up approaches can become an efficient method for the incorporation of gender mainstreaming by increasing the participation of practitioners and actively involving them in transforming their attitudes, practices and work methods. A balance between top-down and bottom-up approaches seems a desirable option as it combines the efficiency and leadership of the top-down approach with the collaborative advantages that come from the whole team. Finally, the paper addresses the role of the IAMU community to work together for gender equality in the context of MET.