Change Of Mind Set Crucial in Recognising Women in Maritime Sector

Change Of Mind Set Crucial in Recognising Women in Maritime Sector
NACANIELI TUILEVUK March 21 2018 http://fijisun.com.fj/2018/03/21/change-of-mind-set-crucial-in-recognisi...

Women have significantly contributed to the mari­time sector says Women in Maritime Association (WIMA) president Jane Koi.

WIMA in Fiji was launched by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Mereseini Vuniwaqa at the Suva Royal Yacht Club, last year.

Ms Koi said despite the increasing number of women in the maritime profession, changing of mind sets was crucial in order to attract more women into the male dominated ca­reer .

“It requires our combined com­mitment to the principles of non-discrimination espoused in our constitution,” Ms Koi said.

“It requires the persistence of rel­evant stakeholders to ensure that the traditional shackles of society which hinder the empowerment of women are broken,” she said.

“It requires a creation of a gender sensitive platform in all spheres of our society which encourages, em­powers and enables us as a country to achieve true gender equality and equity.

“It is encouraging to note that this traditional involvement of women in maritime is slowly changing and that women are now actually tak­ing up maritime studies, with the aim of vying for the same positions in the industry that hitherto have been occupied by men,” she said.

She said the vision of the associa­tion was to be the leading network for women empowerment and ad­vancement in Fiji’s maritime sector.

“Including being the primary fo­cal point for engagement at the na­tional level in matters relating to women in maritime affairs,” she said.

“We will continue to create a net­work to inspire, engage, educate and empower women in the mari­time sector to enable them contrib­ute to the development of the indus­try in the region.

“Increase the involvement of wom­en in the maritime industry by cre­ating a platform and forum for the effective articulation and promo­tion of the contributions of women in the industry and create aware­ness among young women of career prospects in the maritime sector,” she said.