Somalia celebrates the International Day for Women in Maritime

Somalia, supported by the United Nations, celebrated the International Day for Women in Maritime on Sunday, with an event designed to celebrate women’s role in the country’s sea-based industries.

Somali officials announced the launch of a new initiative to empower women through education and job creation.

Faced with gender discrimination, Somali women remain underrepresented in the maritime field.

“The Ministry of Ports and Maritime Affairs pledges to break down the barriers that prevent women from participating in maritime activities, as well as to combat any discrimination and will work to create jobs and leadership opportunities for Somali women”, said Fartun Abdukadir, Somalia’s Deputy Minister of Ports and Marine Transport.

In 2023, the Somali government and the UN had already introduced the Women in the Maritime Sector National Action Plan, to increase opportunities for women.

There are no comprehensive figures on the proportion of women within the Somali maritime sector. Women represent between 4% and 5% of fishing boats owners, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The country has the longest coastline in mainland Africa, stretching about 3,333 kilometres along the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.

The event on Sunday also recognised Somali women’s contribution to the sector by honouring 23 people and one youth organisation with the Women in Maritime Awards.

Among the recipients was Ikran Mohamed Abdulahi, the head the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy's human capital development department, who encouraged women "not to lose hope."

The situation of women within the maritime sector is not specific to Somalia. Women represent only 1.2% of the global seafarer workforce, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

“To all the Somali women in Maritime, your leadership, vision and courage are shaping Somalia's future and inspiring the region", said Nasrin Khan, the Head of the Rule of Law and Security Institutions Group at the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), during the event.

“You are not just part of the maritime story; you are leading it.”