In a groundbreaking event exclusively for women, over 200 professionals from the maritime industry gathered to discuss challenges and combat harassment in the workplace. Held both in-person in Rio de Janeiro and online, “Horizontes Femininos” became the first forum in Brazil to provide a platform for the voices of women in maritime navigation. Women from both the Merchant and Navy shared their experiences during the event, which was held on April 10th at the Adolpho Bloch Theater.
The event featured representatives from various fields and roles, including ship captains, machinery officers, executives from major companies, directors from the National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ), and other professionals supporting maritime and port operations.
Horizontes Femininos was co-organized by Norsul and WISTA Brazil, an association dedicated to promoting gender equity in the maritime industry. The opening session highlighted data from a global LinkedIn survey, revealing that one in six women resigns due to harassment in their field; 35% live in constant fear; and 30% lack confidence in themselves and others. Aline Carvalho, Norsul’s Executive Manager of People and Management, served as the panel moderator and master of ceremonies.
First Panel Discussed the Impact of Harassment on Women’s Careers
The first panel of Horizontes Femininos, titled “Harassment and Its Impact on Women’s Careers,” was presented by Maíra Liguori, Director at Think Eva, a consultancy specializing in gender equity, and Think Olga, an NGO that has been a reference in combating sexual harassment for ten years. Maíra explained that today, there is already Law 14.457/22, which requires private companies to take part in the fight against harassment by maintaining vigilance, monitoring, creating a complaint channel, fostering a more empathetic HR, and implementing other educational actions to create a safer, more inclusive environment for women.
The consultant celebrated the existence of this law, emphasizing the imperative role companies play: “Someone trained in a work environment gains a new perspective on society, particularly regarding both sexual and moral harassment.”
“Moral harassment is an exercise of power and occurs in three forms: vertical, with hierarchical differences where women are usually subordinate to men; horizontal, between colleagues; and mixed. It is crucial to recognize that the habitual nature of the behavior and the intent are necessary to characterize moral harassment,” Maíra emphasized, noting that this is not merely an individual problem, nor is it political or ideological; “it is a gender issue rooted in societal practices.”
As for sexual harassment, she explained that it originates from coercion and intimidation. “Consent is the keyword in defining harassment. As women, we need to learn to consent and not consent. We weren’t taught to assertively express that we don’t want to be addressed in a certain way,” she highlighted.
The LinkedIn global survey showed that 47% of women in the workplace experience harassment, and only 5% report it. “Breaking the cycle of harassment is everyone’s responsibility. We don’t seek privileges; we seek rights and opportunities equal to those of men,” said the Director of Think Eva, who concluded: “We cannot talk about harassment without addressing race. Black women experience even more harassment than white women. We must take a stand, react, and report it.”
Anti-Harassment Guide in the Maritime Sector: Women Make Up 17% of the Workforce
The next panel at Horizontes Femininos featured Flávia Takafashi, Director of the National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ), alongside Luciana Suman, Chief Engineer and Director of Institutional Relations at WISTA Brazil. They discussed the “Anti-Harassment Guide in the Maritime Sector,” a joint initiative by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) and ANTAQ, created in partnership with WISTA Brazil and the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB). The guide is a best practices manual aimed at combating harassment against women working in Brazilian ports and maritime navigation.
Flávia Takafashi explained that the idea originated from a presentation WISTA Brazil made to ANTAQ as part of a cooperation agreement to discuss the participation of women in the sector. This led to the first outcome of the partnership: a survey conducted in March 2023, which found that only 17% of the workforce in the maritime sector is female. Of this total, only 16.7% hold executive positions, 22.5% are in management roles, and 16.4% are in operational roles.
“It took about four to five months of discussions about harassment, gathering indicators, and structuring the creation of the guide, which included roundtables and workshops. For the first time, this issue is being addressed systematically. While the guide is tailored to the maritime sector, we see it as a state tool that speaks to people and helps women in general. We are very proud of the work we’ve done,” Flávia concluded.
“Challenges of Women’s Careers at Sea”: Believe in Your Potential
In the final discussion of the day, Horizontes Femininos brought together women from the maritime sector—across various roles—to talk about topics such as female empowerment, leadership, diversity, motherhood, career development, and harassment, as well as the prejudice that women still face in this male-dominated industry and the evolution of female presence in the sector. Among those who shared their inspiring stories of overcoming challenges were Veridiany Silva, machine operator and author of the book “Much More Than Abuse: The Rebirth of a Story”; Fabiana Durant, long-course captain and director at the Merchant Marine Captains’ Center, IMO Ambassador to Brazil, and head of Ship-to-Ship Operations at Porto Sudeste do Brasil in Sepetiba Bay; and Cristiane dos Santos, an electrician with experience in naval projects who manages the Mulheres Aquaviárias group.
During the forum, they were asked about the biggest challenges they’ve faced in their careers. Many of their responses echoed themes common across industries. The top concerns included: doubt from male colleagues or leaders about their ability to do the job; balancing career and motherhood; and fear of harassment, especially when they are the only woman aboard a ship for weeks at a time. “Harassment is paralyzing. I once hid under a bed, inside a cabin, out of fear of being assaulted,” one of them shared.
Horizontes Femininos Also Discussed Possible Solutions to These Challenges
When asked about potential solutions to the issues raised, each participant offered different perspectives. These included a more humanized approach to people development; breaking away from repeated patterns; seeking more examples of representation; sisterhood; early education; spreading awareness; unity; blind resumes without names or genders; adapting the market to include things like female restrooms on small ships; and sharing personal stories to create examples. “When we have a voice, we reach other women. We inspire them and help them rise to leadership positions,” was a message echoed by all present.
To close the forum, the women expressed their desire to expand the initiative, launch new events, and encourage more companies to support the cause. “Given the power and impact, reinforcing the importance of collaboration between companies in the sector, we want to continue mobilizing women in the industry with moments of deep reflection, soon, with new events where we can together discuss paths forward and commit to actions. We want this agenda to be recurring, led by so many women eager to make a difference,” emphasized Aline Carvalho.
“This first edition of ‘Horizontes Femininos’ made us very proud as we witnessed the strength and courage of women in the maritime sector. We won’t stop here. Together, we can achieve so much more!” concluded Priscila Lopez, Norsul’s Manager of Development and Communication.
