UNCTAD'S TrainForTrade Opens New Horizons For Women In Port

UNCTAD’s TrainForTrade port management programme increases women’s participation in leadership roles in ports, promoting gender equality in the industry.

According to the UNCTAD port performance scorecard, globally, women’s participation rate in ports is only 18%. Moreover, their participation in ports’ operations and services departments is even lower at 16% as ports are mainly dominated by men.

Therefore, UNCTAD’s TrainForTrade port management programme is set on a mission to help to bridge the gender gap by empowering more women in ports. During TrainForTrade’s Port Management Week 2022, which was held from 10 to 13 May in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, four women managers presented their case studies on how their ports could improve operations. Besides, they also explained how the training programme had opened new horizons for their careers, allowing them to strengthen their knowledge and demonstrate their leadership potential.

Harvesting rainwater for port usage

Rabiah Nadir’s case study examined how to reduce freshwater usage and charges in her port, with the aim of harvesting 10 million litres of rainwater.

Following the study, a rainwater harvest system has been implemented in three areas of the port. In just two years, the first three projects have recovered the water costs of the whole port.

“Women can develop ports together with men,” Ms. Nadir says. “Ports must give opportunities to women to learn more about the opportunities available to them.”

“The training expanded my knowledge. Previously I didn’t know a lot about port operations, as I had only stayed in one department,” she added.

Reducing damages to containers

July Mercedes Alcàntara Jiménez, vice president of administration and finance at Port of Haina in the Dominican Republic, focused on how to reduce damages to containers in a port terminal.

Ms. Jiménez recommended improvements to the lighting system at the port for better identification of possible breakdowns in containers. The improvements allowed the port to save more than $4 million in seven years.

“Ports and maritime companies should open their doors to women, as they can bring a lot of knowledge, energy and support. I want to say to all women, ‘you can do it too’,” Ms. Alcantara said.

Managing performance better

Margaret Aidoo Quarcoopome, principal business development officer at the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, analysed a performance contract between the authority and the country’s government.

“The port industry is dynamic and interesting. We don’t need to be held back by the notion that it’s male-dominated,” said Ms. Quarcoopome, who started the programme as one of the port authority’s senior business development officers before taking on her new management role.

She found various implementation gaps, including inadequate monitoring, ineffective checks and non-functioning performance incentives and sanctions. She recommended reforms to the State Enterprises Commission and other actions to improve data collection and boost awareness of performance measurement among managers.

Enhancing port-city relations

Jacqueline Paredes, director of social responsibility at Terminal Internacional del Sur in Peru, studied sustainable development and port-city relationship. She highlighted the importance of reconciling port development with strategies to improve people’s lives in the urban area that is part of the port’s direct zone of influence.

“Ports can develop human talent, which is why they should continue to recruit women,” Ms. Paredes said. “We have shown that we can break stereotypes and the glass ceiling. Female empowerment is key to progress in ports,” she added.

Shamika N. Sirimanne, director of UNCTAD’s technology and logistics division encouraged the participation of these women by saying, “The share of women participants in the programme is very encouraging. We remain committed to working with ports around the globe to turn the tide on gender equality in the industry.”

UNCTAD’s Port Performance Scorecard shows that the rolling five-year average of women in management and administrative roles in ports increased by 4% to 42% in 2020.

Credit: unctad.org

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