Think Tank
Women And Oceans Think Tank is an Ocean Decade Action
The Women And Oceans Think Tank forms part of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) as an activity developed under Ocean Decade Project 81.6: Women, Heritage & Navigation in the Pacific.
Ocean Decade Project 81.6 is an endorsed Decade Action, meaning it has been formally recognised by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) as contributing to the objectives of the Ocean Decade. Decade Actions are initiatives that advance ocean knowledge, capacity development, and sustainable ocean management through interdisciplinary research, partnerships, and knowledge exchange.
Within the Ocean Decade framework, a Decade Project is a specific type of Decade Action that delivers coordinated research and implementation activities addressing one or more of the Decade’s societal outcomes and challenges. These projects bring together institutions, researchers, and communities to generate knowledge and solutions that support ocean sustainability.
Project 81.6: Women, Heritage & Navigation in the Pacific focuses on documenting and highlighting the role of women—particularly Indigenous women—in maritime knowledge, navigation, and ocean-related cultural heritage across Pacific Island contexts. By combining historical research, maritime archaeology, and community engagement, the project contributes to broader Ocean Decade priorities including ocean literacy, inclusive ocean knowledge, and the recognition of Indigenous and local knowledge systems.
The Women And Oceans Think Tank supports this work by providing a platform for dialogue, research dissemination, and collaboration on gender, cultural heritage, and human–ocean relationships. Through publications, events, and knowledge exchange initiatives, the Think Tank contributes to advancing the goals of the Ocean Decade and strengthening the role of humanities and social sciences in ocean sustainability.
The endorsement of this work as a Decade Action highlights its relevance to global efforts to understand and protect the ocean while recognising the importance of cultural heritage, gender perspectives, and Indigenous knowledge in shaping sustainable ocean futures.
For more information, see https://oceandecade.org/actions/women-heritage-navigation-in-the-pacific/