Sea Shepherd Global has announced a grant from Lloyd's Register Foundation to support the development and expansion of its program sponsoring female maritime cadets from Africa.

The grant will cover flights, travel insurance, and monthly stipends for four cadets to join the crew onboard Sea Shepherd's campaigns combating illegal fishing in Africa. According to the International Maritime Organization, women currently represent only 1.2 percent of the global seafarer workforce. The grant will support Sea Shepherd’s work to promote gender equality within the maritime sector. The grant will also enable the organization to develop future collaborations with groups such as Women in Marine Africa, Women in Marine East and South Africa, and the Female Seafarers Association of Nigeria.

“Governments, regulators, and the private sector need to work together to remove barriers of entry into the maritime system, increase diversity, and aid the just transition for all demographics in the ocean economy,” said Llyod’s Register Foundation senior program manager Olivia Swift. “I’m excited by Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s initial collaboration with Sea Shepherd Global, and looking forward to seeing how our funding will make a real difference to Africa’s female seafarers.”

(Photo credit: Sea Shepherd Global)