Dr Evette Smith Johnson: Leading WiMAC’s commitment to fostering gender inclusivity

DR Evette Smith Johnson is president of the Governing Council of the Women in Maritime Association of the Caribbean (WiMAC). In this capacity, she is strategic lead for the WiMAC mission of “transforming the maritime industry through the development and participation of women in the sector within the Caribbean”.

She is a veteran educator and seasoned maritime education and training (MET) professional. She is director of the School of Graduate Studies and Research at the Caribbean Maritime University.

Her passion is the development of people through education, training and mentorship. She enjoys volunteering to projects that promote the development and education of young people. She is married to Christopher and together they share the joy of raising their son Christopher.

Q: What key change is needed to create progress for women, and how have you contributed?

I will answer this question within the parameters of the maritime community. Ships carry approximately nine billion tonnes of goods every year, well over 90 per cent of global trade as measured in weight. Maritime business swells to include ports, warehousing, border operations management and security. This vast industry is serviced by both men and women. What is needed for women to create progress here is not so much a change, but a continuation of the forward thinking and aggressive work that has begun to give women in the sector a seat at the proverbial table.

My contribution to the progress of women has been primarily through my involvement with WiMAC. WiMAC was successfully launched in Montego Bay, Jamaica in April 2015, under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Women in Development Programme. It is the seventh Regional Network of Women in Maritime established by the IMO which focuses on building the capacity of women in the maritime space and creating partnerships for the sustained development of the organisation. WiMAC is a private non-profit organisation.

WiMAC is committed to fostering gender inclusivity, empowering women in the maritime sector, and strengthening collaboration across key stakeholders. We launched a Maritime Baseline Survey Tool, an online tool that collected and collated data on the status of women across approximately 17 Caribbean territories.

Through dialogue and participation, we support member states’ needs in developing national policies and legislation, improving the inclusion of women in the maritime sector at all levels and in all fields

WiMAC works with our partners to increase the visibility of women in the maritime sector, particularly in leadership roles, on board and ashore and as subject matter experts. We are partnering with the industry for a mentorship programme. We have launched a student chapter of the entity to prepare young women in our local maritime university to thrive in the industry.

Annually, on International Women’s Day, WiMAC hosts a webinar captioned EmpowHER. This session seeks to motivate and build awareness among our membership.

Across approximately 17 territories, we seek to promote a diverse and inclusive maritime work culture, free of harassment and discrimination, and promote awareness of and advocate for both ship and shore-based careers for women.

My role as president of the GC is to keep the vision alive and to consolidate the membership to support SDG 5, “to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”.