As part of efforts to enhance gender parity in the maritime sector, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has launched a Code of Practice on Women Peace and Security in the Maritime Space.
The Code of Practice makes provision for 15 subject matters designed to guide and inform efforts and actions towards the advancement and welfare of women in West and Central Africa’s maritime domain.
Speaking at the launch, the Acting Director of Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at KAIPTC, Dr. Emma Birikorang, stated that it was the second in the series that would be done in seven African countries – Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroun, Congo-Brazzaville, Cote d’Ivoire, and Liberia.
Dr. Birikorang disclosed that the Code of Practice for Women in the maritime security domain was an offshoot of the support by the Government of Denmark on the project “Integrated Responses to Threats to Maritime Safety and Security in the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Domain in West and Central Africa” 2021-2026.
She noted that the KAIPTC programme extended the principles of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 into the maritime security domain, as it urges all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all peace and security efforts.
“We have produced a set of guiding principles that should guide decision- makers in the maritime domain to preserve and promote the welfare and advancement of women in the maritime domain especially in the Gulf of Guinea. Indeed, women in the maritime industry deserve career protection, preservation of the welfare and promotion of their interests,” the KAITPC Director said.
Also speaking, the President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA), Dr. Odunayo Ani, who is equally a Deputy Director/ Head of Internal Audit at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said that the launch of the code of practice heralded stronger commitment to gender equality, as well as improved protection for women working in the maritime industry.
“The Maritime Code of Practice being unveiled is more than a document; it is a commitment to change, a beacon guiding us towards a future where women are empowered to stand at the helm, to navigate through storms, and to lead with strength and wisdom.”
“As we launch this Code, we acknowledge the waves of progress made by those who sailed before us, the women who broke through barriers and the allies who supported their journey. Their legacy is our foundation, and their triumphs have set the sails for our voyage ahead. Let this Code be a compass that directs our actions, a map that leads us to uncharted waters where equality and diversity thrive. Let it be a declaration that in the realm of maritime security, women are not just participants; they are pioneers and leaders,” she said.
Sharing insights from the private sector perspective, the Head of Human Resources at LTT Coastal and Marine Services, Mrs Theodore Nweze, urged NIMASA to ensure that trading vessels that come for different licensing and approvals are mandated to have women seafarers as part of their crew.
On her part, the President of African Women in Maritime (WIMA) Nigerian Chapter, Mrs. Rollens Macfoy, described the newly launched document as one that organizations within the maritime sector are expected to own and implement.
“We need to internalize this code. There are also aspects around conflict sensitivity, issues on prevention and mitigation of gender-based violence, as well as increasing the representation of women. So it is up to us to take these documents to our various organizations, institutions, and say, well, this code of practice is here. It is a good document that we can put in our standard operating procedures (SOPs) that will support the advancement of women in the maritime domain,” she remarked.
Giving a legal perspective on the Code of Practice, a Chief Legal Officer at NIMASA, Constance Evi, observed that a policy document is currently being drafted to cater for the newly established Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and guide the development of the nation’s maritime sector.
Evi advised maritime women groups and other professionals in the sector to advocate for the inclusion of the Code of Practice tenets in Nigerian laws and policies.
Several Nigerian maritime amazons including; a WISTA Diamond and Managing Director, Hudson Gee Nigeria Limited, Barr. (Mrs.) Gloria Kanabe; WISTA Diamond, Mrs. Faith Hope; Director General of Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS), Mrs. Vivian Chimezie-Azubuike; among others graced the occasion which also featured the inauguration of Nigerian Women in Maritime Security.
