Bridging the Gap: MHG Leads Critical Industry Discussion on Women's Wellbeing in Maritime
- Nov 28, 2025
- 5 min read
As the maritime industry grapples with persistent gender inequality and wellbeing challenges, Maritime & Healthcare Group (MHG) is stepping forward as a thought leader to drive meaningful change. Recently, MHG's Director of Client Success and Mental Health, Sofia Rizou, led a groundbreaking webinar titled "From Policy to Practice: Women's Wellbeing in Maritime," bringing together diverse voices to address one of the industry's most pressing challenges.
The session represents MHG's commitment to moving beyond surface-level discussions toward actionable solutions. As an organization specializing in maritime mental health and wellbeing, MHG recognizes that supporting women seafarers isn't just about compliance or equality metrics—it's about fundamentally reimagining how the maritime industry approaches human-centered operations.
"Today's session brings together voices from policy, education, life at sea, and clinical practice," Sofia explained as she opened the webinar. "Each of our speakers sees a different part of the picture, and together, they help us understand what real support for women looks like across the full maritime journey, from cadetship to leadership, and from ship to shore."
Under Sofia's expert facilitation, the panel featured counseling psychologist Fatma Nur Yalçınkaya, who specializes in maritime mental health; Dr. Asif from the International Transport Workers Federation; maritime educator Anna Karunatilleke; and Second Mate Achala Vithanage, speaking directly from shipboard experience.
The Reality Behind the Numbers
The discussion opened with sobering statistics that underscore why MHG's leadership in this space is so crucial. Dr. Asif revealed that women represent less than 2% of global seafarers, dropping to under 0.5% when excluding cruise hospitality roles. This stark underrepresentation signals systemic barriers that policies alone haven't been able to overcome.
"The biggest challenge isn't creating good policies," Dr. Asif emphasized. "It's implementation. We can have beautiful, glossy policies sitting in HR offices, but what matters is making them work in practice."
This insight aligns perfectly with MHG's practical, evidence-based approach to maritime wellbeing, focusing on real-world applications rather than theoretical frameworks.
Breaking Down Persistent Barriers
Maritime educator Anna Karunatilleke challenged fundamental misconceptions about gender capability at sea. Drawing parallels between athletic performance, she noted that the actual performance gap between trained men and women is far smaller than perceived differences. "Unconsciously, we have bias," she explained. "We think women cannot do the job, but this isn't factually, medically, or scientifically correct."
Key barriers identified included:
Lack of role models and mentorship opportunities
Work-life balance concerns forcing early career exits
Male-dominated organizational structures
Weak institutional support systems
Lived Experience from the Bridge
Perhaps most compelling was Second Mate Achala Vithanage's firsthand account of returning to sea after a 15-year break to raise her daughter. Her journey revealed both progress and persistent challenges.
"When I started in 2003, I was the only female student in my batch," Achala shared. "There was lots of pressure forcing me to leave because 'this is a male-dominant field.'" However, returning in 2023, she noticed significant policy improvements, including 24-hour support services and more supportive younger colleagues, though some older generation mindsets persist.
The Psychological Dimension: MHG's Expertise in Action
Drawing on MHG's clinical expertise, Fatma Nur Yalçınkaya highlighted often-overlooked psychological costs faced by women seafarers:
Constant vigilance: The emotional exhaustion of continuous monitoring of tone, shared spaces, and power dynamics
Microaggressions: Small incidents that accumulate to erode confidence
Reporting dilemmas: The mental burden of weighing whether speaking up will improve or worsen situations
Isolation: The emotional impact of being the only woman aboard
Dual pressure: Managing job performance while maintaining personal safety
"Until a woman constantly feels safe, supported, and able to speak without fear of repercussion, psychological safety will remain something written, but not lived," she observed—a perspective that reflects MHG's deep understanding of maritime psychology.
Practical Steps Forward: MHG's Framework for Change
The discussion yielded concrete recommendations that align with MHG's evidence-based approach:
Proactive Mental Health Systems: Move from reactive crisis response to preventive design through early screening, predictable support touchpoints, and officer training in de-escalation techniques.
Cultural Integration: Embed gender equity as a core component of professionalism rather than treating it as compliance. This includes installing corridor cameras for mutual protection and normalizing women's presence through visibility.
Union and Industry Collaboration: Strengthen partnerships between trade unions and employers to ensure zero-tolerance policies are enforced consistently across the global fleet.
The Path Ahead
Audience engagement revealed both progress and ongoing challenges. While younger generations show greater acceptance, concerns remain about anti-feminist movements and the need for women's involvement in policy development.
The consensus emerged that sustainable change requires collective action. As Anna noted,
"We as women cannot work alone. We have to work with men as allies. Both men and women should work together to create change."
MHG's Continued Leadership
As Sofia concluded the session, she emphasized MHG's ongoing commitment to this critical work: "Supporting women in maritime is not a woman's issue, it is a wellbeing issue, a safety issue, and a human issue."
This webinar exemplifies MHG's role as a thought leader in maritime wellbeing, bringing together diverse perspectives to create actionable insights. The organization's unique position—combining clinical expertise, industry knowledge, and practical experience—enables it to facilitate conversations that move beyond awareness toward meaningful implementation.
The maritime industry's future depends on bridging the gap between progressive policies and inclusive practices that allow every seafarer to thrive with dignity and safety. Through initiatives like this webinar, MHG continues to lead the way in creating evidence-based solutions that make real difference in seafarers' lives.
Take Action: Connect with Sofia Rizou on LinkedIn
As one attendee powerfully shared during the session, "You are not alone." This message extends beyond the webinar to anyone in the maritime community who is ready to be part of the solution.
Are you a woman seafarer struggling with mental health challenges related to your experience at sea? Sofia Rizou and the MHG team understand the unique psychological pressures you face and are here to provide specialized support.
Are you a maritime leader, educator, or industry professional passionate about creating more inclusive workplaces? Sofia's expertise in both maritime operations and mental health makes her an invaluable resource for developing evidence-based strategies that actually work.
Do you want to learn more about implementing gender-sensitive wellbeing programs that move beyond policies to practice? Connect with Sofia to explore how MHG's clinical expertise can help your organization create meaningful change.
Ready to join the movement toward a safer, more supportive maritime industry for everyone? The conversation doesn't end here—it continues with each person who chooses to take action.
Contact Sofia Rizou at sofia.rizou@maritimehealthcare.co to discuss how MHG can support your journey, whether personal or professional, toward creating the inclusive maritime industry we all envision. Together, we can ensure that every seafarer—regardless of gender—has the support they need to thrive at sea and beyond.