1ST CONTINENTAL CONFERENCE ON THE EMPOWERMENT OF AFRICAN WOMEN
IN MARITIME
Luanda 25th – 26th March 2015
I. INTRODUCTION
The 1st Continental Conference on the Empowerment of African Women in Maritime
(herein WIMAFRICA 2015 was initially scheduled to be held in December 2014, by
initiative of the WIMA-Angola Association herein, AMMPACA (acronym of its Portuguese
designation - Associação das Mulheres Marítimas, Portuárias e Atividades Conexas de
Angola). However the Ebola outbreak that severely affected the region of West and
Central Africa, in the last quarter of 2014, led to the event to be postponed to the end of
the first quarter of 2015.
Currently, women around the world are conducting various activities in all fields of
activity for the commemorations of the 20th anniversary of Beijing Platform For Action.
These celebrations focus in rallying people around gender equality and women’s
empowerment in order to mobilize governments and citizens to build a world in which
gender equality is a reality, through a global debate on the empowerment of women and
girls as a way of development of humanity.
AMMPACA’s initiative is, therefore, in line with the current worldwide campaign "Beijing
+ 20: Promoting Women - Promoting Humanity" which marks the celebration of the
twentieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women (held in Beijing 1995).
II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On the Launch of the Inaugural Africa Maritime INDABA (25th October 2013), which
occurred during the 2ndmeeting of the Heads of Africa Maritime Administrations
(MARADS) held in Sandton, South Africa from the 22nd to the 23rd October 2013,
representing Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea,
Gabon, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Zambia, in
conjunction with representatives and ship owners from the several countries and bodies
of our continent;
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
encouraged the Maritime Women from all African regions and nations to develop and/or
join Women Maritime Associations of their own, throughout the continent.
Inspired by Dr. Zuma’s call to action, the WIMA-Angola Association decided to explore
the viability of convening a continental conference in order to provide a forum for open
dialogue regarding the promotion of African Women’s role and status in the Maritime
Sector, develop an exploratory, non-exhaustive African Maritime Women common
agenda or platform of action, and set up the basis for the creation of an adequate
continental institutional framework to support its implementation.
III. WIMAFRICA2015 CONFERENCE THEME: “AFRICAN MARITIME WOMEN:
TOWARDS AFRICA’S BLUE ECONOMY (2050 AIM Strategy / Agenda 2063)
The Conference theme, “African Maritime Women: Towards Africa’s Blue Economy (2050
Aim Strategy / Agenda 2063), is also in line with the Theme of the 24th Ordinary Session
of the Assembly of the AU, which has been hold at its Headquarters in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia, on 30-31 January 2014 under the theme: “Year of Women’s Empowerment and
Development Towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”.
This aims to pave the way for the Maritime Women Associations of the various African
Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to benefit from experiences of each other as
well as to develop a common platform and adopt a proper institutional framework for
pursuing the objectives of the Conference detailed in the following paragraph.
IV. OBJECTIVES & EXPECTED OUTCOMES
1. OBJECTIVES
The main objective of this Conference is to offer for the 1st time, an opportunity for the
representatives of maritime women associations from all over the continent to share
their experiences as women maritime workers, exchange their ideas, develop solutions
to common problems and thereby;
To address issues such as (i) the economic emancipation of the African Maritime Women
(and ii) reinforcement of role of Women in the leadership of the African Maritime Sector
through the creation of a critical mass of Maritime Women with a developmental
mindset in order to effectively contribute to the realization of the Agenda 2063 of the
African Union.
2. EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The expected outcomes of this Conference are the following:
i.
The Adoption of a Resolution / Declaration on the establishment of the
African Women in Maritime, utilizing the synergies of the already existing
sub-regional women maritime associations (i.e. the Association of Women
Managers in the Maritime Sector in East and Southern Africa (WOMESA), the
Network for Professional Women in the Maritime and Port Sectors of the
West and Central Africa (NPWMPWCA), and the Arab International Women’s
Maritime Forum for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA & AIWMF);
ii. Adoption by the Conference of the Africa's Women in Maritime Platform of
Action: Towards Africa's Blue Economy - a common agenda for the
empowerment of the African maritime women, based on the strategic
objectives and specific actions for maritime gender empowerment that are
contained in the 2050 AIM Strategy / Agenda 2063.
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The main outcomes of this Conference, would take advantage of the existing institutional
framework specific for women maritime at the sub-regional level. This means that the
Federation would emerge from the framework of the pre-existing Maritime Women subregional bodies as the 3 existing Sub-regional Associations would exercise the
leadership of the Africa Women Maritime Federation (WIMAFRICA), on a rotating basis.
V. COORGANIZERS
At the request of AMMPACA various national, regional and international organizations
have expressed their intention to collaborate and cooperate in the preparation of
WIMAFRICA 2015, among others: the Maritime Organisation of West Africa and the
OMAOC - Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire; the African Ship-owners Association - Pretoria, South
Africa; the International Maritime Organization - London, United Kingdom; and several
key areas of the African Union Commission (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) have also been
engaged in technically assisting the preparation of this event since the beginning.
WIMA-ANGOLA Association takes this opportunity to present their most sincere thanks
to all these institutions.
Thanks are also extended to all Angola Government entities and other public and private
agencies, not only from the Maritime Sector but also from several other Sectors, who
cherished this initiative since its first steps, and have not spared any effort in order to
ensure that the results of this project will be crowned with success.
VI. PARTICIPANTS
Representatives of all national and sub-regional Maritime Women Associations as well
as women representatives of other sea related activities of the African continent are
expected to attend the Conference. This includes women maritime workers from the
public and private domain, including logistics, fisheries, and other activities related to
the sea.
DELEGATES: Each AU Member State is invited to be represented by two Delegates, one
from the National Maritime Administration and the second a representative from the
National Women in Maritime Association. In countries that do not have Maritime
Women's Association a prominent figure of private sector may attend in representation
of the female maritime entrepreneurs of her country. The Delegate’s participation is free
of charge.
GUESTS: All other interested stakeholders non-covered by the “Delegate” definition may
also participate as “Guests”. Guest’s participation is subject to the payment of fee as
detailed in the attached Nomination Form.
The registration process is already underway. Participants are invited to send their
registrations forms to their respective Sub-regional Maritime Women Organizations /
Associations. However they may also submit their registration forms directly to the coorganizers institutions referred below (Please see nr 1 of paragraph XIV).
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VII.
SPEAKERS
National, regional and international speakers will make their presentations on a range of
topics affecting women working in the maritime sector such as “Role of African Maritime
Women in the building of Africa’s blue economy”; ‘‘Gender equality and empowerment
of women in the maritime sector”, “Economic emancipation of the African Maritime
Women”, “Need of building national coalitions to combat ‘sea blindness’ (i.e. the loss of
public and political awareness of the importance of the maritime sector”), etc.
All speakers are kindly requested to submit a short abstract of their presentations, until
2 weeks previously to the Conference to be translated and circulated among the
participants prior to the Conference.
VIII.
DURATION & VENUE
The meeting will last two days and will be held at the University Campus of the School of
Management, Logistics and Transport (ISGEST - Instituto Superior de Gestão, Logística e
Transportes), located in the municipality of Belas in Luanda.
Prominent figures of the Angolan Government and business sector as well as high
representatives of relevant regional organizations and diplomatic missions accredited in
the Republic of Angola, will attend the opening ceremony of this Conference.
IX. AGENDA & WORKING PROGRAMME
Please find the Agenda attached. It comprises a total of 7 (seven) topics, 3 (three) of
which will be discussed in the first day of the Conference and the 4 (four) remaining on
the second day, namely:
1st Day – 25/03/2015
1. African Maritime Women in the Context of Africa’s Blue Economy – (Continental,
Regional and National Perspectives)
2. Maritime Women’s Role in the Transition from the MDG’s to the SDG’s –
International Perspective
3. Specific Arrangements to Improve Maritime Education for Women in the Context
of the Blue Economy – (Regional & National Perspectives)
2nd Day – 26/03/2015
4. Building a Common Platform for Empowering African Women in Maritime:
Project Resolution and Action Plan for the Establishment of the African Federation
of Women in Maritime-WIMAFRICA (Under the ownership of the 3 existing sub-reg.
Maritime Women Assoc.: WOMESA, RMPMPAOC & AIWMF).
5. Imperatives for Creation of African Women’s Wealth in the Maritime Industry:
Perspectives of the 3 existing sub-regional Maritime Women Associations in Africa
(WOMESA, RMPMPAOC & AIWMF-Middle East & North Afr. Assoc. MENA) as well
as from the Shipping and Trading Perspective)
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6. Agenda Item 6: Challenges & opportunities for Enterprising African Women in
the Maritime Industry: Women Fishmongers, Ship-owners, Ship-Shareholders,
Shipbuilders, etc.
7. Mentorship Programmes - Strategy for Addressing Institutional Barriers Drawn
from Gender Stereotyping and Male Domination Within the Maritime Sector
X. RESOLUTION & TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE AFRICAN FEDERATION OF WOMEN IN MARITIME - WIMAFRICA
(Under the Ownership of the 3 Existing Sub-Reg. Maritime Women Associations:
WOMESA, RMPMPAOC & AIWMF).
The project of this resolution will be presented at the beginning of the second day of
work, under point 4 of the Agenda. Please note that the background paper for this
Agenda item will be distributed to the participants, in the working languages of the
African Union and in due time for all to intervene actively and productively in the
discussions.
Participants who might not receive the background paper for Agenda item 4, before
traveling to Luanda, may obtain a copy upon registration for the Conference, in order to
examine in detail its contents before it is discussed on the second day.
If the participants reach consensus on the establishment of a future African Federation of
Women in Maritime (WIMAFRICA), as it will be proposed in the presentation of this topic;
Then the Chairperson of the plenary could propose the constitution of an ad-hoc drafting
group to amend the project resolution in accordance with the recommendations of the
plenary, so that the above referred Resolution and Terms of Reference (TOR) may be
adopted by the Conference at the end of the second day.
XI. CONCLUSIONS & FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS
At the end of the works the Rapporteur will read the Conclusions & Final
Recommendations.
XII.
DATE & VENUE FOR THE 2ND CONTINENTAL CONFERENCE ON THE
EMPOWERMENT OF AFRICAN WOMEN IN MARITIME
After the reading of the Final Recommendations, any country that may wish to offer to
host the 2nd WIMAFRICA, can then request the floor to inform the date and venue of the
next meeting of WIMAFRICA.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Organization of the 1st WIMAFRICA suggests participants to
take into account geographical criteria, when choosing the country that will host the
second meeting of WIMAFRICA. This would allow all the 3 existing sub-regional Women
in Maritime Associations of Africa to feel the real ownership of this ambitious project.
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XIII.
MOTIONS OF THANKS & CLOSING ADDRESS
The Conference will end with the reading of thanks motions, which will be followed by a
brief closing statement.
XIV.
USEFUL INFORMATION
1. REGISTRATION
African Maritime Women, and others, eventually interested in attending this event, are
invited to register through the Maritime Women Organizations / Associations of their
particular sub-regions, namely: WOMESA - for the countries of the East and Southern
Africa; RPMMPAOC - for the countries of West and Central Africa and AIWMF-Middle
East & North African Association (MENA) - for the countries of North Africa.
Registrations forms can also be sent directly to any of the main co-organizers of the
event, which addresses are as follows:
-
-
AMMPACA: Email - ammpaca@gmail.com - Contact Point: Mrs. Maria Elizeth Faustino Email:
infoimpa@impa.gov.ao / impa.sede.luanda@gmail.com / Cell: +244 916 393 849
REPANG/IMO: Email admin@angolaimo.org.uk / Tel: +44 (0)20 7486 1632 / Contact Point: Mrs
Juliana Garcia, Email: julianagarcia27@hotmail.co.uk / Cell. +44 (0) 952719541
MOWCA: Email: abey58@yahoo.fr / infos@omaoc.org / Tel. 225 22 40 61 00, Contact Point: Ms Rita
Contreiras; Email: rcont24@hotmail.com / Cell: +225 59 27 73 75
African Ship-owners Association: Email: wima@african-shipowners.org /Contact Point: Ms Funmi
Folorunso/ Email: folorunso@gmail.com / Cell: +234 80231 47037
2. VISA PROCEDURES
Regarding to the VISA procedures, please note that a specific letter will be forwarded to
the Angola Embassy in your Country as soon as we receive your filled registration form
and the copy of your passport.
Participants and speakers are therefore, urged to email their registration forms and a
copy of their passports to the Secretariat of their sub-regional Women in Maritime
Associations or directly to any of the co-organizers mentioned in the previous
paragraph.
In case there is not an Embassy of Angola in your country, we will forward the copy
of the passport to the emigration services at the Luanda Airport where arrangements
have already been made for delegates in this situation to get their VISAs at the airport.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 1st WIMAFRICA
LUANDA
FEBRUARY / 2015
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