Women working in the maritime sector from across Latin America gathered in Guayaquil, Ecuador (17-19 November) for a regional workshop to strengthen gender-responsive maritime policies and legislation. Organized under IMO’s Women in Maritime Gender Programme to support the Women in Maritime Network of Latin America (Red MAMLa), the event contributed to advancing inclusive governance and promoting women’s participation in maritime decision-making.  

Around 50 women from 19 countries 

Around 50 women from 19 countries attended the event, which comprised the Regional Workshop on Gender-Sensitive Policies and Legislation (17-18 November) followed by the VII General Assembly of MAMLa . Together, these sessions aimed to strengthen MAMLa’s capacity to design and implement gender-responsive maritime policies and legislation at national and regional levels. 

Participants engaged in interactive sessions focused on closing gaps identified in regional studies and advancing inclusive governance in line with the Global Strategy for the IMO Women in Maritime Associations (2024-2029). 

Key sessions addressed the following themes: 

• Mainstreaming gender perspectives in maritime governance. 

• Mechanisms for the advancement of women in the sector. 

• Strategies to close gaps identified in regional studies on inclusive legal frameworks. 

• Mapping stakeholders to support gender equality initiatives. 

Related : IMO Gender Equality Award to go to Professor Momoko Kitada

The agenda also facilitated knowledge exchange, enabling participants to share best practices from their respective countries. These efforts contribute directly to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and reinforce IMO’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the maritime sector. 

The event was supported through funding from the Republic of Korea to the IMO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP). 

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