The International Day for Women in Maritime (IDWIM) is annually observed across the globe on May 18 to celebrate and honour the contributions of women in the marine industry and promote women’s recruitment, retention, and sustained employment in the future.
- The annual event of IDWIM is initiated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), responsible for regulating maritime transport.
Purpose of the Day:
i.To highlight women’s participation in the maritime sector and emphasize the efforts to include a greater number of women.
ii.By raising the profile of women in maritime, IMO is strengthening its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 (Gender equality)
- It also addresses gender imbalances in the maritime workforce.
Note:
- Women constitute less than 20% of the maritime workforce onshore, with significantly lower participation at sea
- Women constitute 1.2% of the global seafarer workforce.
Background:
i.In 2021, the IMO assembly at its 32nd session, adopted the resolution (A.1170(32)), proclaiming May 18 every year as the International Day for Women in Maritime.
ii.The first ever International Day for Women in Maritime was observed on May 18, 2022.
2025 Events:
Symposium:
On May 16, 2025, IMO hosted a symposium, focusing on the theme “An Ocean of Opportunities for Women” in London, United Kingdom (UK), aligning with the 2025 World Maritime Day theme “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity”.
IMO Gender Equality Award 2025:
i.Karin Orsel, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Netherlands-based MF Shipping Group received the IMO gender equality award for her significant contributions to achieving gender equality in the maritime sector.
ii.She was nominated by the award of Kingdom of the Netherlands.
About the award:
i.The IMO gender equality award was established to recognize individuals, irrespective of their gender, who have made significant contributions to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in the marine sector.
ii.The IMO council, at its 128th session held in November 2022, approved the establishment of the IMO gender equality award.
iii.The Award is in the form of a medal, accompanied by a certificate, citing the contribution of the winner to improve gender equality in the maritime sector.
International Day for Women in Maritime in India:
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Unveils ‘Sagar Mein Samman’:
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), unveiled the ‘Sagar Mein Samman’ (SMS), a policy initiative of the Government of India (GOI), to increase women participation in the maritime sector.
- The event was organized by Directorate General of Shipping, in collaboration with “Sagar Mein Samman” (SMS), Maritime Union of India, National Maritime Day Committee in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- The event focused on the theme “Women in Maritime: Leading Transformation and Sustainability”
Key Points:
i.Minister’s Address: Shri Sonowal emphasized the importance of recruitment, retention, and career advancement for women in the maritime sector, aligned with the IMO’s 2025 World Maritime Day theme, “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity.”
ii.Growth in Women Participation:
- Aligned with the Maritime India Vision 2030, the initiative sets an ambitious target of achieving 12% female representation in technical maritime roles by 2030
- 649% increase in women seafarers: From 341 in 2014 to 2,557 in 2024
- 739% surge in registered women seafarers: From 1,699 in 2015 to 14,255 in 2024
- 2,989 women received financial assistance since 2014
- Women seeking assistance increased from 45 (2014-15) to 732 (2024-25)
About International Maritime Organization (IMO):
Secretary-General – Arsenio Dominguez (Panama)
Headquarters – London, United Kingdom
Established – 1948 (in force from 1958)
