Discussions around the role of women in maritime took centre stage at the first webinar organized by IMO Member State delegates working to achieve gender equality in the maritime sector, better known as the IMO Gender Equality Network (IMOGEN).
The event aimed to introduce the eight regional Women in Maritime Associations (WIMAs) and provide a forum for them to network, access knowledge and share experiences and best practices.
IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim, opened the event, stating that:
IMO’s long-standing women in maritime programme supports many initiatives to progress towards gender equality in the sector, including supporting the WIMAs. We know that these maritime networks provide great opportunities for networking and mentoring
Representatives from each of the WIMAs gave a brief presentation of their network and a description of their work that they do to encourage visibility of women and ensure their access to maritime training and employment opportunities.
The WIMA representatives also highlighted the fact that although the maritime industry has made progress towards its aim of gender diversity and greater inclusion of women in the sector, there is still much ground to be covered.
Particular challenges regarded the scant presence of women in high responsibility positions, the lack of affordable training and difficulties in gathering specific data about women in the sector.
Furthermore, success stories of collaborations with the maritime administrations and the private sector were also shared.
On her behalf, speaker H.E. Josefa González Blanco, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mexico to the United Kingdom, emphasised the benefits of sharing information on the contributions of women and highlighted the remaining barriers that women face in the maritime sector.
