Examining the major barriers to women’s participation and employment in coastal activities of India’s blue economy: a systematic literature review

Increased women’s participation and employment in coastal activities in India is envisioned as a critical pathway towards a sustainable blue economy (BE). However, few studies have comprehensively explored the level/nature of women’s (un)employment and participation in coastal activities in India. This could derail the attainment of sustainable livelihoods and transformative equity targets embedded under India’s BE framework, Maritime Vision 2030, and Amrit Kaal 2047 agenda among others. A systematic literature review of 93 documents is conducted to (i) explore the level of women’s (ex)inclusion in India’s coastal activities, (ii) uncover the systemic drivers (inhibitors/enablers) of women’s participation and employment, and (iii) use a system thinking perspective to highlight the interconnections of various drivers and kickstart avenues for women’s empowerment. Findings reveal that India has innumerable coastal resources that could drive women’s employment and participation in the BE. Coastal activities, such as fishing and services, have relatively higher prospects for women’s employment. However, there is limited women’s participation in coastal activities prioritized under the BE framework. Mostly, women participate in informal, secondary/indirect, and less lucrative BE activities. Livelihood vulnerabilities are forcing coastal women to engage in highly masculine jobs. Although prospects for increased women’s participation in coastal activities are emerging, systemic impediments are still prevalent, including (i) socio-cultural impediments (especially social marginalization of coastal women) (ii) economic barriers (mostly poverty), (iii) environmental challenges (iv) institutional bottlenecks (e.g., limited participation of coastal women in decision-making, co-governance, and leadership), and (v) psychological impediments (including vulnerability to diseases and psychological stress). Most of the barriers are interconnected, necessitating the use of a system-thinking perspective to guide holistic women’s inclusion in the BE. The developed system thinking map indicates the interactions between the various barriers to women’s empowerment. Increasing women’s participation in BE activities requires a holistic understanding of coastal human-ecological system interactions, rather than using fragmented, specific coastal zone strategy/ies or development mechanisms for or in a few coastal communities/people/states. By holistically obtaining transformative narratives or perspectives from different coastal communities, inclusive and collaborative mechanisms could be developed. Future research can focus on participatory engagements with coastal women, to gain novel viewpoints and perspectives on how sustainable women’s empowerment should be charted, and what it should involve.