Pretoria: 21 December 2022
South Africa’s inaugural maritime sector Gender-Based Violence (GBV) dedicated seminar in Cape Town a month ago broke new ground in the sector for successfully turning the spotlight fully-on, on effects and impacts of the scurge now viewed as a pandemic in the country.
The seminar, featuring both domestic and international maritime sector officials inclusive of seafarers, business leaders and academic personalities, drew wide attention both in the sector and generally as illustrated by the national media coverage it recieved, particularly on radio and television. Organised by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), it was also streamed live online on the day in order to ensure maximum exposure to all that could not be fitted into the venue, or were simply unable to attend.
Leading keynote speakers lined up for the industrial sector pioneering event include Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, World Maritime University President, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Ms Lena Dyring of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) as well as maritime academic and veteran female seafarer, Dr Momoko Kitada of the World Maritime University.
It’s specific purpose, according to SAMSA was to, “….provide opportunity to the country’s maritime to lay bare publicly the challenges of GBV it is confronted with, and to also outline measures current, or planned towards its stemming and eventually eradication. Statistics from various studies conducted so far locally and globally paint a horrific picture of a maritime industry in South Africa and elsewhere, that is rife with deep-seated and widespread GBV and which unsurprisingly, impact negatively particularly women.
For record purposes, below this blog provides possibly a most comprehensive coverage of the event, inclusive of a ‘male seafarers’ perspective’ that on the day, received far less exposure than was planned.
The videos below, clustered according to themes; provide full remarks of the keynote speakers, the group of female seafarers’ who shared their personal experiences, the employers’ perspectives as well as male seafarers’ views on GBV. We also provide very brief coverage of SAMSA’s seafarers’ educational pamphlets distribution to seafarers at the port of Cape Town on Friday, 25 November.
Keynote Speakers
Female Seafarers’ Perspective on GBV in the maritime sector:
Male Seafarers’ Perspective on GBV in the maritime sector
Maritime Industry Employers’ Perspective on GBV:
GBV Educational Pamphlets Distribution: Port of Cape Town. Friday, 25 November 2022
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