MONROVIA – Liberia has joined others countries in Africa in the
establishment of a chapter of Women in Maritime in Africa (WIMAFRICA) in
partnership with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the
United Nations.
Speaking Monday, December 23, 2019 at Programs making the Official
Induction of Code of Officers and the Launching of the Women in Maritime
in Africa Liberia Chapter, the historic president Mrs. Emma Metieh
Glassco stressed “that the empowerment of more women in the maritime
sector cannot be ignored”.
Mrs.
Glassco who currently serves as the Director-General at the National
Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority challenged women across Liberia to
“develop an interest in the field of maritime and its related sectors in
order to compete with their male counterparts as the potential for
empowerment and prospect of realizing a professional life.”
Mrs. Glassco said the Women in Maritime Liberia chapter will broaden
its scope to include “women from other maritime-related sectors
including fisheries, oil industry, environment, commerce and transport”.
Providing statistics on the current number of women in the Maritime sector across the world, Mrs. Glassco pointed out that only two percent of the world’s 1.2 million seafarers and 94 percent of female seafarers are working in the cruise industry within this historically male-dominated industry.
She further revealed that in Liberia, there is no definite statistics
on the percentage ratio of women employed in the maritime and
maritime-related sectors, but recent training provided by the Fisheries
Authority to sea-farers in 2018 revealed that only one out of 50
trainees are women signifying only two percent.
The Women in Maritime Africa Liberia’s Chapter Boss added that “this
number further substantiates low participation of women in the maritime
sector and the said the empowerment of more women in this sector cannot
be ignored”.
Commenting on the vision of the Women in Maritime in Africa Liberia’s Chapter Madam Glassco said they will “engage relevant stakeholders and partners to mobilize the necessary resources to provide training and opportunities for more women in maritime related training”.
“We see prospect and we call on the leadership of WIMAFRICA Network, the African Union, the Economic Community of West Africa States, the International Maritime Organization, United Nations and other Partners to join us in this cause to provide opportunities, short and long term, as well as technical training for women to develop skills in maritime and related field in order to increase women visibility and participation” the WINAFRICA Liberia Chapter President mentioned.
Those inducted into office to stir the affairs of the Women in
Maritime in Africa Liberia Chapter include Mrs. Emma Metieh Glassco
President, Madam Yvonne Kaulah Clinton Vice President, Atty. Saifuah-Mai
Gray Secretary-General, Miss Joyce Kumeh Deputy Secretary-General, Mrs.
Jotcelyne Davies Kollie Treasurer and Elizabeth Rose Amidjogbe.
Meanwhile, the President of women in maritime Africa has commended
the Director-General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority
NaFAA for accepting the challenge to rally women in the maritime
community to establish the Liberian Chapter of WINAFRICA.
Madam Jean Chiazor Anishere president of Women in Maritime Africa Network disclosed that Liberia has become the 30th
member organization of WINAFRICA that have established a national
chapter and has the potential to transform the lives of women across
throughout the country.
At the same time, the Assistant Secretary-General of IMO of the
United Nations disclosed that IMO has adopted a resolution which is
aimed at providing a platform for women across the world to gain access
to the maritime world and contribute immensely to the development of the
sector.
Making remarks during the ceremony Hon. Lawrence Barchue pledged his
support to the overall empowerment of Liberia through the support of the
International Maritime Organization of the United Nations.
Declaring the Women in Africa Liberia’s chapter officially
functional, former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf urged the
leadership of the Liberian chapter to massively recruit Liberian women
into the Maritime sector.
The African Women in Maritime Association (WIMAFRICA) is made up of
female maritime professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs throughout the
African maritime sector (and related areas) from all the countries and
various regions and sub-regions of the continent.
The aim of the Association is to increase the visibility of women in
the maritime sector which is perceived to be a male-dominated sector. It
also includes cooperation in building capacity, training, education and
development of entrepreneurial projects in order to contribute
effectively to global efforts towards Women’s Economic Empowerment,
Representation and Leadership in Maritime and the Blue Economy. The
establishment of WIMAFRICA is to contribute effectively to realize the
African Union Agenda 2063.
The Organization, Women in Maritime in Africa (WIMAFRICA), was created on March 26th,
2015 in Luanda (Republic of ANGOLA) in partnership with the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the United Nations while
the Statutes of the Organization were adopted in July 25th 2015, at the AU (African Union) Headquarters, in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) by 11 Countries.
WIMAFRICA is part of a Network of several other International Maritime Organization (IMO) recognized regional women in maritime network worldwide.
Source:https://frontpageafricaonline.com/front-slider/nafaa-establishes-women-in-maritime-liberia-chapter/
