SECOND WORLD EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR WOMEN IN MARITIME SECTOR ORGANIZED BY IMO : THE ABIDJAN PORT AUTHORITY ATTENDED THE EVENT ON 18 AND 19 MAY 2023 IN LONDON

Activités portuaires Thursday 17 August 2023

The maritime and port industry is an environment  historically and mostly dominated by men where tremendous efforts are still needed to promote ¨Gender and Development Policy¨ in order to meet the targets of  sustainable developement goal (SDGS -5) of the 2030 United Nation Organization Agenda promoting gender equality  which, far from being only a fundamental human right, is also a necessary basis for the advent of a peaceful prosperous and sustainable world.

To reach this goal, the International Maritine Organisation (IMO) undertook concerted efforts in order to meet expectations of the 21 st century.To this end, the organization put in place a programme named «  Women In Maritime ( WIMA)and promote the emergence of professional networks.so as to provide for a more balanced representation of women and men in the maritime transport sector .

To date ,eight (08) associations of women of the maritime industry have been established in Africa,in the Arab States,in ASIA ,in the Caribbean countries,in Latin America and in the Pacific region. These associations bring together 152 countries and dependent territories.

At the West African sub regional level, Côte d’Ivoire is a member of the Network of Maritime and Port Women Professionals in West and Central Africa.

The Assembly of IMO , in accordance with Resolution A1147( 31) entitled « preserve the legacy of the theme of the 2010 World Maritime Day and provide a working environment free from any obstacle for women in the maritine industry »,has adopted during its 12th session which took place from 06 to 15 December 2021, the resolution A 1170 ( 32 ) proclaiming the International Day for Women of the Maritime Sector .

The day was intended to celebrate the role of women in the maritime sector in order to promote sustainable  employment and  ,ensure that  they remain in their post.

These objectives also aim at giving more visibility to the women in this sector of activity, to reinforce the commitment of IMO in favour, of SDG – 5 and to support the current research with the purpose of addressing the current gender inequalities in the maritime sector

After the first celebration which took place on 18 May 2023 on the theme ‘’Training – Visibility – Recognition : promote the creation of a work environment free from any obstacle » ; the second edition of this Day consisted in a global conference. organized by the eight women regional associations of the maritime sector , which took place on the 18 and 19 May 2023 at the Headquarters of IMO in London (United Kingdom) on the theme :’’collaborating and networking in achieving gender equality’’

This high – level meeting rich in content was an opportunity for IMO to present its program : ‘’Women at sea’’ and for the participants to provide an overview of the women’s role in the maritime sector through the presentation of eight women regional associations  of the IMO’s maritime sector, to conduct discussions through several round tables, to develop a global strategic project for IMO’s WIMA, and to organize training sessions meant for WIMA in respect of reinforcing their visibility on social media and public websites.

 Abidjan Port Authority’ marked its presence at this conference. The institution was represented by Dr Titi PALE, Commercial, Marketing, and Communication Director, who also serves as Chairwoman of the Network of Maritime and Port Women Professionals of Côte d’Ivoire (NMPWP-CI), and by Mrs Florentine GUIHARD – KOIDIO, Coordinator General of the Network of Maritime and Port Women Professionals in West and Central Africa. (NMPWP-WCA)

It is necessary to invite all the member states of IMO as well as all the players of the martime and port industry to promote and Commemorate in a fragmented, appropriate and significant way the International Day for women of the martime sector in order to have a strong resonance.

As a recall, WISTA International (women’s International Shipping and Trading), partner of the event, is an international organization whose mission is to increase the number of women at the management level in the maritime, trading and logistics sectors, and to provide them with support.

WISTA International gained consultative status with the United Nations