My Master’s Thesis: Collective Empowerment and Gender Equality in Maritime Organizations

This master’s research project explores how mechanisms of collective empowerment can drive organizational change to advance gender equality within the global maritime sector. Drawing on feminist organizational theory, empowerment studies, and change management models, the study examines the interaction between institutional equality frameworks and grassroots empowerment initiatives such as Women in Maritime Associations (WIMAs) and mentoring networks.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the project combines secondary analysis of the IMO–WISTA Women in Maritime Survey 2024/2025 with qualitative expert interviews from both public and private maritime organizations. The goal is to identify how collective agency, policy structures, and social capital intersect to enable or hinder gender equality progress in maritime institutions.

Research objectives:

To analyze empowerment-based strategies that foster gender-inclusive organizational cultures

To assess how equality policies translate into institutional change in maritime contexts

To highlight best practices and structural levers that promote sustainable equality

The project contributes to ongoing international discussions on gender equality, leadership, and transformation in traditionally male-dominated sectors, providing actionable insights for policy, management, and advocacy in the maritime domain.