Yaounde: Code of Practice to protect women’s security in maritime sector launched.

It was launched by Ghana-based Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, KAIPTC, in collaboration with Cameroon’s Ministry of Transport.

The event to launch the Code was presided at by the Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Air Commodore David Akrong, in the presence of a representative of Cameroon’s Minister of Transport, and other stakeholders in the maritime sector.

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Air Commodore David Akrong, said the aim is to preserve and promote the welfare of women in the maritime sector in the Gulf of Guinea.

“Women deserve to be preserved and protected in the maritime sector given the fact that the maritime domain in the Gulf of Guinea presents challenges and impacts that directly affect women,” he said.

Stating that the Code is aimed at guiding the role of women in the airtime sector, Air Commodore David Akrong said he hopes actors within the sector and other stakeholders will fully apply the Code.

On his part, Elvis Hene Ngwane, Deputy Director of Navigation, Security and Protection of the Maritime Environment and Inland Waterways in the Ministry of Transport, representing the minister, said the “landmark” document “will promote the welfare of women in the maritime sector”.  

“The initiative to produce the code is commendable and will provide realistic impact of women in the maritime sector. It will awaken consciousness of decision-makers to get more women into the maritime domain,” Ngwane added.

He enjoined maritime sector stakeholders to respect the Code in order to ensure peace and security in the maritime sector in the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS. 

Presenting the Code of Practice, John Mark Pokoo, Head of Conflict Management Programme Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at KAIPTC, said: “It is a code that is targeted at the welfare and advancement of women in maritime security. 

“It draws on the principles of the Women Peace and Security Agenda, that is the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which is based on four pillars; Participation, Promotion, Prevention and Relief and Recovery,” he said.

Pokoo added that “…we want women in the domain of maritime security to get this sense of protection. If there is for example bad practices for women who smoke fish from the sea, we should invest in new technology to help them alleviate the kind of health hazards they are faced with”. 

“If you are over-fishing to the extent that fishermen when they go fishing, the State security agency should be able to prevent that from happening, so that there will be no hunger and deprivation in the homes,” he stated.

It should be noted that the production of the Code of Practice was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.