Maritime industry urged to do more for gender equality

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez is calling on the maritime sector to take greater steps to support gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, Mr Dominguez opened an event (7 March) at IMO Headquarters in London, focusing on the theme, ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress’.

He said: “I have made diversity, including gender equality, one of my priorities. I am counting on your support to transform the maritime sector. The first thing is to lead by example.”

Citing a study by IMO and the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA), Mr. Dominguez noted that women currently account for only 29% of the overall workforce in the general maritime industry and 20% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in member states. The number of female seafarers is even smaller, with just 2% of approximately two million seafarers worldwide being women.

“We need to do better. We must intensify our efforts if these figures are to improve. I look to each and every one of you, to Member States, to industry and to all colleagues to join in the efforts to accelerate progress in this critical endeavour for the industry,” he said.

Mr. Dominguez outlined actions the IMO Secretariat is taking to address the issue, including through the work of internal Gender and Diversity Group, mainstreaming gender in the delivery of projects and programmes and striving towards achieving gender parity amongst staff.

He has appointed a gender-balanced senior management team and initiated a policy of refraining to participate in panels or events unless gender representation is respected. He encouraged the maritime community to follow this example.

Enhancing women’s leadership and visibility 

Female students studying for a career in maritime expressed their hope for the future through video messages.

Ms. Faith Maraga, a Kenyan student at the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden,   expressed that investing in women is a “strategic investment in the future”, and said : “My wish for the future include breaking down barriers to leadership because representation enables women to bring their vast perspectives to decision making processes, leading to more inclusive and efficient outcomes.”

Ms.  Mame Ndella Faye, a Senegalese student at the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta, said: “It will be important for [women] to see themselves being represented in places of visibility that will open their eyes into the many opportunities that lie within this industry.”

Further discussions by a panel of leading maritime professionals acknowledged the challenges in the male-dominated industry and explored solutions. Moderated by Ms. Galuh Rarasanti, Senior Maritime Advisor at the IMO, the panel featured Ms. Maria Dixon, CEO of ISM Shipping Solutions; Ms. Gina Panayiotou, Founder and Chair of the World ESG Forum; Ms. Miatta-Fatima Kromah from the IMO Gender Network; and Mr. Peter Broadhurst, Vice President of INMARSAT.

Panellists shared their personal and professional experiences working in maritime and discussed ways to overcome existing gender gaps, including: changing mindsets at the board level; building supportive networks and communities; enhancing mentorship programmes; promoting more education and training opportunities; and developing women’s skills and confidence.

Τhe Secretary-General’s speech:

International Women’s Day event – Invest in women: Accelerate progress

Secretary General
International Women’s Day event – Invest in women: Accelerate progress
ADDRESS OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AT THE OPENING OF THE PANEL DISCUSSION TO MARK INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Theme – Invest in women: Accelerate progress

Delivered by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez on 7 March, 2024

Good morning, colleagues, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, friends.

Before I proceed the commemoration of International Women’s Day and today’s event, it is great sadness and concern that I have been following the horrific reports of the casualties on the vessel True Confidence, following an attack on the ship southwest of Aden, in Yemen. It is the first time we have casualties in these attacks.

I extend my deepest condolences and those of the entire IMO family to the families of those who have lost their lives, and our thoughts are with those who have been injured. Innocent seafarers should never be collateral victims.

I wish to take this opportunity also to appreciate the efforts of all the ships in the area that assisted the vessel and, in  particular, its crew. We all need to do more to protect seafarers. I call on every single one of you, in every country, to redouble the efforts to protect seafarers, to protect shipping, and to find solutions to the current situation. I continue to call for collective action to fortify the safety of those who serve at sea.

Coming back to International Women’s Day, which will be celebrated tomorrow, the day has been marked for over 100 years with the first gathering held in 1911 providing a focal point in the women’s rights movement and a day set aside to recognize the contribution and achievements of women.

Many issues are important to IMO, but as you know, I have made diversity, including gender equality, one of my priorities and I am counting on your support to transform the maritime sector.

The first thing is to lead by example. As you may be aware, I refrain from participating in panels or round tables unless gender representation is respected.

Another example is the composition of my Senior Management team, comprised of directors from the divisions of the Organization, ensuring a balanced gender representation. And I call on the maritime community to follow my example in this regard.

Internally, our cross-divisional Gender and Diversity Group is working on revising the current strategy that we have and on an action plan that will support the attainment of gender parity within the Secretariat and enhance mainstreaming gender in the Secretariat’s work, including the delivery of our projects and programmes.

The theme of the International Women’s Day this year is: “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”. It conveys the key message that women and girls deserve more investment – investment in opportunities, time, resources, and through expanding access to education, training, mentorship, and other initiatives, to truly reach transformative solutions for our common goals.

Regarding the investment in people including mentorship, you will hear today about the IMOGEN programme to mentor female students from World Maritime University (WMU) and the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI). I urge all of you to come forward as mentors. I can tell you that I mentored two students last year, and I am already committed to mentoring two more this year. If I can find the time to be part of the solution and share my knowledge and experience through this initiative, I am convinced that you can do the same.

These investments will allow us to, not only advance gender equality, but also unlock the sector’s full potential for innovation and growth, addressing longstanding challenges, such as skills and labour shortages, as well as contributing to the long-term sustainability and resilience of the maritime sector as a whole.

At IMO we continue to invest in our Women in Maritime Programme, providing training and enhancing the skills and careers of women from across the world. The impact of our flagship programme is felt throughout the industry with many of the graduates from our maritime training institutes and members of Women in maritime Associations in places and positions of prominence.

We are committed to mainstreaming gender considerations in our work and to making the maritime industry a safer and attractive profession for all.

Nonetheless, based on the study we undertook in cooperation with WISTA, women account for only 29% of the overall workforce in the general industry and 20% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in Member States.

When we look at the number of female seafarers, it is even smaller.

We need to do better. We must intensify our efforts if these figures are to improve. I look to each and every one of you, to Member States, to the industry and to all colleagues to join in the efforts to accelerate progress in this critical endeavour for the industry.

I would like to conclude by wishing you a fruitful discussion. I particularly look forward to listening to real life stories, and how those challenges have been overcome and the opportunities from those experiences.

Allow me to pick a quote from Frances Wright, an early women’s rights advocate, and a social reformer:

“Equality is the soul of liberty; there is, in fact, no liberty without it.”

I wish you all a Happy International Women’s Day tomorrow.

Thank you very much.

Watch the full event :