Today, 8 March 2021, on International Women’s Day, the International Mobile Satellite Organisation celebrates women’s achievements and contributions in the aerospace, telecommunications, and maritime sector. Director General Moin Ahmed gave the following message: “Today at IMSO we pay tribute to the women within our own organization, our partners in industry, and our fellow international organizations for their leadership, expertise and wisdom. The incredible work of these women and others ensure the safety of life at sea, and we need to ensure gender equality remains at the forefront of our work to establish a safer and more secure future.”
At the time of International Women’s Day 2020, the global effects of the pandemic were yet to be fully felt. Since then, international trade, communication, and essential work have continued thanks to the women who make daily sacrifices and work tirelessly in this industry. We especially thank the women in these organisations who applied their leadership to create innovative solutions for the new set of challenges raised by the pandemic. IMSO draws attention to the supportive work of organisations such as the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA), the Women in Maritime Associations (WIMAs) the World Maritime University Women’s Association (WMUWA) and others who empower women in careers at sea.
IMSO has embraced #ChooseToChallenge and would like to draw attention to the existing gender disparities and biases in the aerospace, telecommunications, and maritime sectors. IMSO extends its proud support to the women who work in these sectors and calls on them to share their experience of the challenges they’ve faced. Accordingly, IMSO promotes the inaugural Women In Maritime International Survey 2021. A joint venture by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and WISTA, the survey will help the industry understand the nature of these disparities and create policies to address them, and build a more diverse and inclusive maritime sector.