International Women’s Day 2023
March 8 is annually recognized as International Women's Day (IWD). The 2023 theme is DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality. According to UN Women, the theme calls on governments, activists and the private sector alike to “power on” in their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable.
“To meet the technological advances the maritime industry is rapidly undergoing, it is imperative that we have all hands on deck,” said Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, WMU President on the occasion of IWD 2023. “Through WMU’s research, education and capacity building work, all of which include a dedicated focus on the advancement of women, the University is significantly contributing to Goal 5 focused on Gender Equality. We have come a long way on gender equality, and have a long way to go, but we can do it! Every single one of us can make a difference in advancing gender equality, and we each have a responsibility to do our own part in that regard.”
Through its well established education, capacity building and research agenda, and recognizing that all the goals are interrelated and indivisible, the World Maritime University (WMU) is committed to the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly Goal 5 focused on Gender Equality. WMU conducts a range of research related to technology in the maritime and ocean sectors as well as empowering women. Key examples include the Future of Work in the transport sectors as a result of automation and advanced technologies, cyber security, greener fuels and energy for ports, a better understanding of the ocean Carbon Cycle, and autonomous robotic inspection and maintenance on ship hulls. Since 2016, more than 30% of the students in the Malmö MSc in Maritime Affairs are female and both of the MSc specializations in China have reached gender parity. The University continually pursues efforts to increase the number of women enrolled across all programmes offered, and has programmes dedicated to empowering women such as the Empowering Women for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development Programme that is endorsed as an Ocean Decade Action by IOC-UNESCO.
WMUWA Seminar
In honour of IWD, the WMU Women’s Association (WMUWA) will host their annual seminar for students on 15 March as field studies for two specializations are taking place over the date of IWD on 8 March. The WMUWA annually hosts a seminar for IWD. The objectives of the WMUWA are to connect, educate and inspire women in the maritime industry and to promote the interests of female maritime professionals through the creation of an international network for women from the WMU and women involved in other internationally recognized female associations in the maritime sector.