Panama Canal Reaffirms Commitment To Women’s Empowerment

The Panama Canal reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and the economic empowerment of women, through the signing of the Principles for the Empowerment of Women, or WEPs.

With this signature, the Panama Canal joins the 23 Panamanian companies that work together with UN Women and Sumarse – Global Compact Panama, in the economic empowerment of women, under the motto, “gender equality is good business. ”

“In this way, we ratify the conviction that we have regarding gender equality. It is still a task and there is still much to be achieved, but without a doubt, in the Panama Canal there are many examples that we believe in the participation of women as the integral human being that represents all the values ​​that a society can collect, “expressed the administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales when signing the principles.

Image Credits: micanaldepanama.com

María Noel Vaeza, director of UN Women for the Americas and the Caribbean, indicated, for her part, that “with the accession of the Panama Canal to WEPs we seek to exchange strategies, experiences and good practices that contribute to the joint work of the Panamanian business platform, to continue promoting gender equality and female empowerment in the public and private sectors, as a contribution to SDG # 5 and the 2030 Agenda in its broadest sense. ”

Vaeza added that “We hope that the adherence of the Panama Canal to WEPs will serve as an example of good practices and that it will in turn be an incentive for more companies to take the initiative to sign the Principles for the Empowerment of Women.”

UN Women highlighted the appointment of Ilya Espino de Marotta as deputy administrator of the Panama Canal and made public the recognition of this historic designation, becoming the first woman to hold this position.

This appointment constitutes, among other things, a demonstration that companies that promote inclusion, diversity, and equality, benefit from the contributions of empowered women.

This signature expands the participation of the maritime sector in promoting the Principles for the Empowerment of Women, an initiative of which “Women International Shipping & Trading Association” (WISTA), with headquarters in London, is already part and has appointed Espino de Marotta as ambassador.

Image Credits: micanaldepanama.com

The promotion of the seven principles is a joint effort between UN Women, Sumarse, the Global Compact Network and all the signatory members of the Principles for the Empowerment of Women, to promote, in a sustained manner, gender equality and the empowerment of women. women at the highest level in Panama.

The seven principles provide companies with practical guidance to focus on the key elements of gender equality in the workplace, the market and the community. They are an effective tool for the private sector and companies to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through a clearer contribution to the empowerment of women.

Empowering women economically not only benefits companies, but also contributes to social transformation, since this action and the reduction of disparities between men and women in the workplace are essential to comply with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

Reference: pancanal.com

Source: Maritime Shipping News