This is a network for women in Japan, working in a variety of the ocean-field and studying the ocean together here to enjoy and learn all about the sea with diversity and mobility.
Outline
As of July 2021, the Women for One Ocean is composed of about 80 members. The number of those women and female students who are working in ocean-related fields and studying the ocean for oceanography, fisheries, etc. has been increasing every year, so participation in this group is also likely to increase. More and more women have been taking up their positions of responsibility, however, having a work-life balance is a difficult to be achieved and still in the process of improvement: those women have to rely only on their own efforts. Therefore, while promoting work and study related to the sea, the group “Women for One Ocean” provides an activity for women to discuss and disseminate their opinions to the society to solve such problems. We will support women’s activities and promote human resource development.
Our goals also include contributing to the SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030; SDG14 is “Protecting the richness of the oceans”). We will consider the future of our society, which is based on a deep understanding of the ocean and the importance of the ocean through the cooperation of marine science and technology, marine policy, and marine industry. We will contribute to the ocean and our future by utilizing the power of women in all situations where we come into contact with the ocean, starting with playing in the ocean.
Let’s work together.
Our ocean
Thinking of the one ocean.
Knowing the one ocean, enjoying the one ocean, and living with the one ocean.
What comes to your mind?
Is it something a clarified shape?
Is it something always in your mind?
The oceans cover about 70% of the earth’s surface, and the deepest ocean floor is over 10,000 meters in depth.
The oceans, along with the atmosphere, control the climate and keep it moderate.
The ocean is where life was born and evolved. The ocean ecosystem is a dream stage where a wide variety of organisms thrive.
But how much do we know about the ocean?
The ocean does not complain.
But now, the oceans are quietly on the brink of ecological destruction due to global warming, acidification, pollution, and overfishing.
Protecting the marine environment means protecting the earth and life.
So, what can we do?
Come and talk to us about yourself and the ocean.
We tie to one ocean.
Ocean Literacy in the Japanese network “Women for One Ocean”
We learn about the ocean from a wide range of ocean-related fields, science, technology, culture, industry, and politics, and useful information for learning about the ocean from publications, media, and social networking sites.
Women for One Ocean’s Declaration of Action
In Japan, women play active roles in diverse marine careers. Women for One Ocean will declare that we will
- encourage those women who participate in marine and ocean fields,
- learn the ocean, share our knowledge and information, and raise awareness about the ocean, and
- promote gender equality for the sustainable society
An increasing number of female students are majoring in marine and ocean fields. It has become increasingly common for female professionals to serve as executive members of academic societies or as members of committees convened by government agencies; their shares of responsibilities have expanded. Women continue to face challenges in balancing housework, childcare, and elderly care responsibilities. These challenges need to be overcome with support from partners, family members, and local community members. Nonetheless, some women are juggling these professional and personal responsibilities all by themselves. Thus, we believe that this network can be a platform for encouraging and supporting each other.
There are many ways of interacting with the ocean: some depend on the ocean for livelihoods, some take part in the marine environment- and safety-related occupations, some study and research the ocean. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the ocean more holistically. In particular, marine research spans across diverse disciplines in natural science, social science, and humanities. It is essential for researchers and professionals from diverse fields to interact, discuss, integrate knowledge, and share the outcomes to contribute to our community. For all of us who works in marine and ocean fields, it is important to promote and pass on the activities to empower women for the next generation.
The United Nations (UN) sets 17 goals as “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”. These goals include gender equality (SDG 5) and ocean (SDG14). The UN “Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development” has started in 2021. Keeping SDG 5 and 14 in mind, Women for One Ocean supports women with dreams and their professional careers. In addition, we declare here to act to increase ocean literacy through outreach and education and to pass on a better global environment to the next generation.