Gender Quota: An Alternative to Increase Women's Participation in the Port Sector

The deck first sets out women's place in Haitian public life: in the 2008 government, 4 of 26 posts (15%) including the Prime Minister; in Parliament, 6 of 119 members (2 of 20 senators and 4 of 99 deputies); no women on the Supreme Court; and 15% of the public administration. It then describes the port sector: two international ports (Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien) and five minor ports (Saint-Marc, Gonaïves, Miragoâne, Port-de-Paix, Jacmel), with Port-au-Prince handling almost 95% of traffic, 2,944,000 metric tons, 874 vessels and 143,000 TEU in 2007-2008.

In 2008-2009 women held 104 of 570 port jobs (18.25%), from 47.5% in the administrative department to 2.8% in security and none in logistics, with 10 middle and 9 upper managers. The deck describes men's perceptions as sexist in operations, proposes a hiring quota for women along with outreach to girls and training, and recommends a women's association in the port and maritime sector, school fairs on maritime careers, a recruitment policy for women and public education against sexist attitudes.