On this International Day for Women in Maritime, I extend warmest congratulations to my fellow women in Maritime. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Mobilizing Networks for Gender Equality”, and highlights the importance of collaboration and networking in achieving gender equality in the maritime sector. In Guyana and across the world, women are actively contributing to a sustainable future of the sector in various roles whether as navigators, engineers, surveyors, seafarers, CEOs, managers, or as representatives of government and industry.
Despite the significant progress made however, there is still a long way to go to achieve the desired gender equality. Recent studies show that the share of women in the maritime sector remains low, and that structural, cultural and practical barriers can explain why fewer women work in the sector.
It is therefore incumbent upon government to make a concerted effort to support women in this sphere, to achieve a level of representation that is in keeping with international expectations and its obligations under the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”.
I call on this Government to intensify its support for important initiatives such as the Women in Maritime Association Caribbean (WiMAC)-Guyana Chapter, which was launched in September of 2019. Government must also take a deliberate and strategic approach to enhancing the contribution of women as key stakeholders in the maritime sector. I therefore call on the Government and to begin work on the development and articulation of an equality strategy for the maritime sector in Guyana.
The data is clear: investing in the development of women is a smart economic strategy. Accelerating gender equality results in large economic gains and is a central driver for inclusive growth. Let us work together to build a more sustainable and inclusive maritime sector in Guyana.
On behalf of the APNU+ AFC Parliamentary Opposition and on my own behalf: Happy International Day for Women in Maritime!
