Women’s 2% role in maritime alarming – WIMOWCA urges inclusive leadership

By Christabel DANSO ABEAM

President – Women in Maritime, West and Central Africa (WIMOWCA) Sylvia Asana Dauda Owu says that closing the maritime industry’s gender gap will not only strengthen regional security but also go a long way to boost Africa’s participation in the blue economy. This sector is anticipated to create jobs, drive sustainable trade and transform the economy.

Ms. Owu, speaking at the just-ended Regional Conference in Accra, themed ‘Advancing Women’s Leadership in Maritime Security and Governance in the Gulf of Guinea’, revealed that women account for only two percent of the world’s maritime workforce – describing this as a “stark imbalance” that threatens to limit the region’s full capacity in maritime security and governance.

Despite the growing of presence in logistics, ports and coastal economies, she highlighted that women still occupy less one percent of senior maritime positions and blamed gender stereotypes, limited access to training & mentorship and institutional biases as key barriers which restrict women’s entry into policy and security leadership.

“The maritime sector cannot achieve sustainable progress or secure its waters if women continue to be excluded from leadership and decision-making spaces,” she highlighted.

The president further emphasised that the Golf of Guinea offers significant prospects for West and Central Africa, but it is yet to unlock these potentials due to piracy, illegal fishing, oil theft and trafficking, hence the need to harness the leadership, innovation and resilience of women at every level of the maritime ecosystem.

On the progress of women getting involved in maritime leadership worldwide, Ms. Owu commended the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) ‘Women in Maritime’ initiatives – such as Women in Maritime of West and Central Africa (WIMOWCA), Women in Maritime Eastern and Southern Africa (WOMESA) and Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) – for mentoring and connecting women across the sector.

“In Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia and Cameroon, we now see women leading port operations, commanding naval vessels and shaping maritime policy – tangible evidence that the tide is turning,” she expressed.

She also acknowledged that there has been significant growth since the inception of WIMOWCA from July 2021 in Accra till date.

WIMOWCA now operates in 14 countries across West and Central Africa,  providing mentorship,  leadership training and policy advocacy platforms that empower women across the sector.

Recognising the region’s efforts in reducing piracy through frameworks such as the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy and coordination by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), she however warned that maritime insecurity has surpassed sea-based crimes into more complex governance issues such as illegal bunkering,  marine pollution and weak inter-agency coordination.

She established that these challenges are not just military or political but demand inclusive leadership, innovative thinking and diverse perspectives.

To close the gender gap, Ms. Owu proposed the adoption of gender-sensitive governance frameworks with measurable commitments to ensure women’s representation on maritime boards, in port management and security agencies.

Also, targetted scholarships and mentorships should be created for women pursuing careers in maritime law, logistics, naval sciences and governance, supported by partnerships with maritime academies and universities – and the strengthening of initiatives such as WIMOWCA, WOMESA and WISTA to help create regional platforms for women in maritime security to exchange expertise and experiences.

Lastly,  she suggested that women in coastal communities should be engaged as partners in maritime surveillance, environmental conservation and governance to bring local knowledge and ownership to security initiatives.

Concluding,  the president expressed appreciation to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Royal Danish Embassy in Ghana for their collaboration in advancing the Danish Maritime Security Programme in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as to the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) for their role in empowering women across tbe value chain.

The special guest of honour, Deputy Minister of Transport Dorcas Affo-Toffey, in her speech also acknowledged persistent threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, human trafficking  and marine pollution, stressing that addressing these challenges requires not only security measures but also meaningful inclusion of women in decision-making, governance and enforcement.

“Women’s diverse perspectives  operational skills and insights are vital for enhancing maritime security and efficiency,” she noted.

The Deputy Minister further outlined key focus areas such as expanding women’s  representation in shipping, ports and naval agencies; building safe workplaces to combat harassment and gender-based violence; and mainstreaming gender-equity into maritime threat analysis and governance as practical steps to promote inclusivity, while pledging full support for implementing action plans to increase women’s presence in the sector.

Expressing gratitude to UNODC and Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their efforts through the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Programme, she underscored that strengthening these women-led networks ensures sustainable and non-redundant institutional development.

The conference aimed to address the severe nature of under-representation of women in the maritime industry and deliberate on key innovations to strengthen maritime security for West and Central Africa.