THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF BLUE ECONOMY IN AFRICA. THE CASE OF WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP OF PORTS IN KENYA
BLUE ECONOMY
OVER 80% OF GLOBAL TRADE BY VOLUME & OVER 70% BY VALUE IS CARRIED BY SEA AND HANDLED BY PORTS WORLDWIDE
Kenya Coastal line
Kenya
Kenya is blessed with a wide coastal line with ocean waters estimated to stretch about 128,015 square kilometres, and a distance of 200 nautical miles offshore, with inland waterways estimated at 10,700 square kilometres
Lake Victoria
Indian Ocean
BLUE ECONOMY
WOMEN ACCOUNT FOR ONLY 2% OF THE TOTAL WORKFORCE IN THE INDUSTRY
BACKGROUND
THE BLUE ECONOMY FINDS ITS ORIGIN ON THE BACKGROUND THAT OCEANS ARE INCREASINGLY GAINING IMPORTANCE IN TERMS OF ENABLING INTERNATIONAL TRADE VIA LINKING SELLERS AND BUYERS
BLUE ECONOMY
BLUE ECONOMY WHICH IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE BLUE GROWTH IS DEFINED AS THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT EMANATING FROM ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN THE OCEANS, WETLANDS AND COASTAL ZONES
AFRICA PERSPECTIVE
FISHERIES ALONE PROVIDE MULTIPLE BENEFITS TO IMPOVERISHED COASTAL COMMUNITIES. AS WELL AS BEING A MAJOR SOURCE OF FOOD, FISHERIES PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT FOR MILLIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN – AT LEAST 10 MILLION IN AFRICA ALONE
BLUE ECONOMY IN KENYA
OUT OFF
54
COUNTRIES IN AFRICA
38 ARE COASTAL
BLUE GROWTH INITIATIVE
UNDER THE BGI, FAO, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF KENYA, HAS DEVELOPED TWO PROJECTS WORTH
A TOTAL OF US$1 MILLION
Lake Turkana
Aquatic resources Lake Baringo Lake Bogoria Lake Victoria
The country is strategically placed within the Indian Ocean coast, and has several large lakes including Lake Turkana, Lake Victoria (2nd largest fresh water lake in the world) and several rivers.
Lake Nakuru Lake Elementaita Lake Naivasha Lake Magadi
Indian Ocean
KENYA’S MARINE TRANSPORT SECTOR IS VALUED AT OVER
KSH 73BN
FISHERIES SECTOR ALONE CONTRIBUTES
0.45%
OF KEYA’S GDP
SITUATION ANALYSIS
ON AVERAGE, THE ENROLMENT FOR MARITIME STUDIES AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS IN KENYA IS NO MORE THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL INTAKE
WOMEN IN PORTS LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT MARITIME STATISTICS ESTIMATE A FIGURE OF APPROXIMATELY
23,000 WOMEN SEAFARERS WORLDWIDE
REPRESENTS A LOW 2 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL WORKFORCE
WOMESA HAS LAUNCHED LOCAL CHAPTERS IN SIX COUNTRIES
KENYA
NAMIBIA
FROM THE
SOUTH AFRICA
TANZANIA
MAURITIUS
ETHIOPIA
THE KENYA CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP COMPRISES OF
160 ACTIVE AND PARTICIPATORY WOMEN WORKING IN THE PORT AUTHORITY, MARITIME AUTHORITY, REVENUE AUTHORITY, SHIPPING LINES, MARINE CONTRACTING FIRMS AND TRANSPORT LOGISTICS INDUSTRIES
160 ACTIVE MEMBERS, 32 OR 20
PERCENT OF THEM IN THE KENYAN CHAPTER HOLDING KEY SENIOR POSITIONS
MOMBASA IS THE GATEWAY TO KENYA, UGANDA, RWANDA, BURUNDI, SOUTH SUDAN, NORTHERN TANZANIA, EASTERN DRC, ETHIOPIA AND SOMALIA THE PORT SERVES OVER 33 SHIPPING LINES THAT CALL REGULARLY AND PROVIDES CONNECTIVITY TO OVER 80 SEA PORTS WORLDWIDE
The Kenya Ports Authority has the first female Managing Director (MD) since its enactment in the year 1978. Through her leadership, the Authority has made significant strides in the following key programs, projects and initiatives;
1
Resource mobilisation including exploring Public Private Partnership prospects
7
Adoption of a green port policy as sustainable development
13
2
3
4
Cost reduction strategies
Streamlined internal functions;
Restructuring the organisation
8
9
10
Staying afloat despite global decline in world cargo and container traffic
Supporting innovations through the national performance contracting framework
Execution of a culture change and transformation program
Master plan and strategic plan review
5
Progressing key projects especially the second container terminal; Lamu Port, Kisumu and Shimoni ports;
11
Inter-agency coordination to support growth of the sector
6
Introduction of new projects such as the development of a cruise terminal
12
A gender mainstreaming policy has been institutionalised and effected for all KPA projects
WOMEN AT HELM-OTHER MARITIME RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
2006 - 2015 THE KENYA MARITIME AUTHORITY HAD ITS FIRST FEMALE DIRECTOR GENERAL-FOUNDER DIRECTOR- WHO SERVED FOR NINE YEARS FROM 2006 TO 2015.
SHE IS AMONG THE FOUNDER MEMBERS OF WOMESA. DUE TO THE KEY ROLE SHE HAS PLAYED IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA APPOINTED HER TO THE NEWLY CREATED STATE DEPARTMENT OF MARITIME AND SHIPPING AFFAIRS AS A PERMANENT SECRETARY (PS) SHE ALSO DOUBLES UP AS A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BOARD TO THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME LAW INSTITUTE.
CONCLUSION AFRICA’S BLUE PICTURE MAY LOOK DIFFERENT BY
2030
RECOMMENDATIONS
Efforts are needed to reduce negative environmental impacts of maritime activities such as the emissions of pollutants and the discharge of noxious substances.
Policy making should be dynamic and transformational. Women should rise above the tide and show themselves equally able to deliver
Adoption of technology will redefine the role of women in management of ports in Kenya and in Africa, where women will have equal opportunities as men, to lead the sector
Private sector participation is key
Adoption of the green port policy and effective environment management plans are a necessary condition for the sustainability of the blue economy. Kenya is open for benchmarking and peer to peer reviews and information sharing
THANK YOU Catherine Mturi-Wairi Managing Director Kenya Ports Authority
www.kpa.co.ke