RED MAMLa'S PARTICIPATION IN A GENDER FRAMEWORK SEMINAR

Last July, the Seminar "Experiences of the gender approach in maritime and fishing areas of the country" was held, organized by our Member State Chile and under the coordination of the Directorate of Maritime Interests and Aquatic Environment - DIRINMAR.

The main purpose of the activity was to support the participation of women in the professional field of the maritime industry, in order to promote gender equality in the various areas of maritime, port and public management.

The event began with opening remarks by the Director General of the Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine, Vice Admiral Fernando Cabrera, who pointed out that "...there are currently various guidelines and joint efforts that seek the necessary gender equality in the different areas of society and, in particular, in the development of the different areas related to maritime, fishing and aquaculture activities". She also highlighted the joint work of various international bodies, particularly the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and "...the program of the International Maritime Organization, aimed at increasing the contribution of women as key participants in the maritime sector, under the principles of Training, Visibility and Recognition of Women".

Next, Ms. María Soledad Tapia, Director of the National Fisheries Service (SERNAPESCA), who first mentioned the progress in the implementation of the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy in her institution, which aims to create a cultural change, noting that "...today we invite women to participate, because there is will. The will of the different institutions, which are often classified as more classical or more traditional, which is a tremendous advance and shows what we must continue working on as a country". She then gave way to the presentations of the day.

In this context, and on behalf of Red MAMLa, a video-message was projected by Elvia Bustavino, President of our association. She expressed what it has meant to have reached the position of Deputy Administrator of the Panama Maritime Authority; the challenges she has had to overcome in the development of her professional career and what are her guidelines to improve the gender issue addressed from the point of view of Red MAMLa and considering the international gaps detected.

The activity was also attended by the Director of Maritime Interests, Rear Admiral LT Juan Gajardo; Directorate of Safety and Maritime Operations, Rear Admiral LT Carlos Fredes; and presentations by Raquel Meza, Director of Fundación "Mascarona" and representative of Women's International & Trading Association - WISTA Chile; Leonardo Llanos, Executive Director of the National Institute for the Sustainable Development of Artisanal Fisheries and Small-scale Aquaculture (INDESPA) and María Ángela Barbieri, PhD in Biological Oceanography from the Université de Bretagne Occidentale of France.

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