Voices from the depths: expert views on gender inclusivity in ocean governance and the creation of ocean social accounts

This report presents the findings of an expert consultation examining gender inclusivity in ocean governance through the Community of Practice (CoP) Ocean Accounting Framework led by Nelson Mandela University. The project draws on survey responses from academics and practitioners across South Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Ghana, Singapore, and India. The study explored perceptions of gender inclusivity in ocean spaces, focusing on access to marine resources, participation in governance, education and training opportunities, economic inclusion, and policy implementation. Expert surveys were used to generate informed, practice based insights from specialists selected for their experience, publications, and leadership roles in ocean governance, science, and policy to build a model for gendered social accounting within the Ocean Accounting Framework. The data is descriptive in nature as the sample size of respondents is small (n=13). The study is limited by its small sample size of 13 respondents, representing just under 9% of the identified research population. While the expert-based research design provides depth and informed insight, the limited participation constrains the generalizability of the findings across the broader ocean governance expert community. As such, the results should be interpreted as indicative of prevailing expert perceptions rather than statistically representative of the wider field.