INTEGRATING WOMEN IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY IN AFRICA-THE WISTA INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE ”

DATED AT DURBAN ,SOUTH AFRICA, THIS 27TH DAY OF AUGUST 2012

1.INTRODUCTION

It gives me great pleasure to be in Durban. I consider it an honour to be invited to speak at this August occasion before such a distinguished audience.

I bring you greetings from Karin Orsel the President of Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association[WISTA] and all the distinguished members of the international board.

The topic for discussion is close to the heart of our great Association.

2.TOOLS FOR INTEGRATION

Different countries will use different methods for integrating women into the maritime industry depending on the need and culture of the place .However there are some tools which are relevant to all countries.These are legislation and advocacy.A good starting point will be to consider the United Nations strategies for advancing and empowering women, and then to relate them to the maritime industry in our continent.

3. THE UNITED UNITED NATIONS & THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN

3.1 The integration of women into all aspects of the world’s political, social and economic spheres has been of special interest to the United Nations and its organizations since 1973.

3.2 The years 1976-1985 were depicted as “The United Nations Decade for Women”.During this period the UN through its agencies implemented programmes aimed at advancing women and promoting gender equality.

3.3 In 2000 the world’s leaders meeting under the United Nations auspices adopted the 8 point agenda , Millenium Development Goals [MDG’s] . By adopting MDG-3, the world’s leaders agreed to “Promote gender equality and empower women”

4. THE AFRICAN UNION& THE INTEGRATION OF WOMEN IN THE MARITIME SECTOR

Preparation/Specific Education

4.1 It is important for the women seeking entry into the maritme industry to be properly educated – both the basic education and the technical training necessary to get the job done.In order to be more competitive it is important to pursue the highest educational qualification in the chosen field , backed up with specific technical training and upgrading .

4.2 The African Maritime Transport Charter adopted at the 22nd session of the African Union Conference of Ministers in charge of Maritime Transport held here in Durban in October 2009, supports this view.This charter was revised and adopted by the 15th Ordinary session of the African

4.3 Article 37 of Chapter 13 is instructive. Chapter 13 deals with Human Resources Development . Article 37 deals with Gender Balance and Participation of Women.Article 37 provides that :

1. State Parties agree to promote and adopt policies that create opportunities for the advancement of gender equality , vigorously promote economic opportunities , recruitment, placement, promotion and progression of women in the maritime sector,
2. State Parties shall endeavor to enact relevant legislation to give effect to the acceleration of women empowerment in the maritime sector , including the encouragement of specific education, mentoring and training of women at all levels.

4.4 In the WISTA family, WISTA-Nigeria,actively supports the specific maritime education of women, by offering scholarships to the best female cadets at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria , Oron,Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

5. THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION & THE INTEGRATION OF WOMEN IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY

a. Women in Development

5.1 In 1989 ,the IMO launched its Women in Development[WID] programme

5.2 The policy objectives of the programme are :

5.2.1 Integration of women in the mainstream of maritime activities

5.2.2 Improvement of women’s access to maritime training and technology,

5.2.3 Increasing the percentage of women at senior management level within the maritime sector,and

5.2.4 The promotion of women’s economic self reliance , including access to employment.

5.3 The WID programme focuses on mainstream projects which specifically target women and on gender specific projects b.Global Programme on Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector [IWMS]

5.4 The IWMS is the primary vehicle which the IMO uses in articulating the MDG-3’s objective of promoting gender equality and empowering women.

5.5 The IWMS works through capacity building programmes.In particular, it emphasizes gender specific fellowships.This encourages the training of women in developing regions of the world in areas such as maritime administration, ports etc .

5.6 Women in Africa have benefited from some of these training opportunities.:

5.6.1In April 2010,women from Egypt, Libya,Nigeria, Sudan,and Tunisia participated at the regional seminar on management of climate change and its impact on water resources , held at the Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport [AASTMT]

5.6.2In May 2010,women from Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire.Guinea Bissau, Mauritania and Senegal,participated in a regional seminar for women managers from the Africa region held at the Port Training and Research Institute[IPER] in Le Havre, France .

5.6.3 In September 2010, women from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana received fellowships to attend the 24th Advanced course on Port Operations and Management[September to October 2010], held at the Port Training and Research Institute[IPER] in Le Havre, France,

5.6.4In November 2010, female participants from Togo received funding to attend the Senior Port Management Programme held at the Galilee International Management Institute[GIMI] Israel .

5.6.5In December 2010,African women participated in a seminar on ‘Gender interraction with development in the maritime sector ,held here in Durban from 6-8 December 2010.This seminar was organised by the Association for Women in Maritime ,East and Southern Africa[WOMESA] and sponsored by the IWMS.

6. WOMEN AT SEA

6.1 The woman seeking integration into the maritime industry must be diligent in her work , must be a hard worker, prepared to work long hours outside the comfort of her home and probably be away for long periods.

6.2 Sea going diciplines provide interesting opportunities for African women to be intergrated in the maritime industry.Of the 1.25 million seafarers in the world, only 2% are women and most of these are from developed countries.

6.3 According to figures available at the IMO,4-5% of the total work force of sea seafarers on European Union fleets are women.

6.4 In South East Asia, less than 0.5% of the seafarers work force are women.Phillipines which accounts for the greatest number of seafarers in the world, had only 225women out of 230,000 seafarers in its national seaman’s register for the period 1983-1990. There are no figures for Africa!!!

6.5 The observation of the IMO Focal Point for Women in Development,Mrs Pamela TANSEY is instructive in localizing the opportunities that are available for women at sea.These opportunities are also available for African Women.

“Industry studies suggest that the technological revolution within the maritime sector is calling for a highly trained workforce , leaving the sector with an estimated shortfall of some 50,000 officers in the year 2000.Female seafarers are an under utilized and under developed resource that could provide part of the solution to the problem of crewing the world merchant fleet .”

7. CHALLENGES TO THE INTEGRATION OF WOMEN IN THE MARITME INDUSTRY

a. Cultural

7.1 The greatest challenge to the integration of women in the maritime industry is cultural.Shipping was hitherto regarded as the preserve of men and there was reluctance to admit women into the industry.This coupled with the dominant notion that frowned at women working outside the home,even discouraged women from pursuing maritime education.

7.2 Capt Nontsindisco Tshazi, the first female harbour master in South Africa , and currrently the head of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre [MRCC] in Plattekloof, near Cape Town,admitted that as the only woman in her class of 44 one of her lecturers constantly told her that “ a woman’s place was not at sea!”

7.3 But South African women showed that its no longer business as usual in the maritime industry when in October 2010 they made history by sailing the MV SA Agulhas with an all woman crew! On getting to the Port Elizabeth harbour she was guided into port by a woman harbour pilot![The MV SA Agulhas,is precious to the heart of South Africa.Its the ice strenthened polar research vessel which has made pivotal history in South Africa’s research efforts in Antarctica]

b.Lack of Adequate & Separate facilities

7.4 Another practical difficulty is the lack of adequate and separate facilities for women on board ships.This could lead to time sharing of facilities with men or outright refusal to admit women.

c.Lack of training

7.5 Lack of training and work experience.

8. BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING-THE ROLE OF WISTA IN THE INTEGRATION OF WOMEN IN THE MARITIME SECTOR IN AFRICA

8.1 Shipping was a male dominated area until 1974 when a group of women in the tanker trade in London England decided to meet regularly for coffee to share their experiences in the industry and strategize on how to move themselves and their businesses forward.The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association -“WISTA ” as it is popularly known, is the result of those coffee evenings.

8.2 WISTA is a net working association for women in management positions in the maritime industry.National Wista Associations [NWA] are spread around five continents, and 33 countries.Its membership of over 1500 women represents all aspects of the maritime industry and international trade.In Africa, there are four NWAs-Wista South Africa, Wista Nigeria,Wista Ghana and Wista Egypt

8.3 Businesses represented in WISTA include, ship management, ship broking,marine insurers, stevedoring ,crewing ,maritime lawyers to mention but a few. WISTA is an association that is actively integrating women in the world’s maritime industry.

8.4 Adequate education , training,mentoring and networking opportunities are critical to the integration of women in the maritime industry .

8.5 The Wista international annual conferences provide execellent training and networking opportunities for women in the maritime industry.This year the annual conference will be hosted by Wista- France, in Paris from the 3rd to 5th October 2012.

8.6 At regional level the African Women in Shipping Conferences provide invaluable opportunities for women in the maritime industry in Africa to share their unique experiences , build their capacities and make themselves relevant to their continent and to the world.

8.7 The African Women in Shipping Conference is a product of Wista Nigeria who hosted the first conference in Lagos Nigeria from the 25th -27th May 2010,Wista- Ghana hosted the 2nd African Women in Shipping Conference in Accra,Ghana from the 16th - 17th June 2011.I am particularly pleased to see that Wista South Africa is hosting the 3rd edition now [27th -29th August 2012]. I hope that Wista- Egypt will pick up the baton and host us in Cairo or Alexandria next year!

DATED AT DURBAN ,SOUTH AFRICA, THIS 27TH DAY OF AUGUST 2012

Oritsematosan EDODO - EMORE [Mrs] Director ,WISTA LTD