International Day for Women in Maritime

International Day for Women in Maritime : Recently, the ‘Sagar Mein Samman’ (SMS) initiative was launched during the International Day for Women in Maritime celebrations.

၀ It aims to promote gender equity and empower women in the maritime sector, reflecting the government’s commitment to inclusivity and sustainability.

• About Sagar Mein Samman(SMS): The SMS policy provides a comprehensive framework to enhance women’s participation in all facets of maritime operations—from dockside roles to executive leadership. It aims to:

၀ Bridge gender gaps in seafaring and shore-based jobs

၀ Ensure women’s safety, leadership opportunities, and retention

၀ Align with the government’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) objectives

၀ Focus on training, governance, research, and community outreach.

၀ Sets a target of 12% female representation in technical maritime roles by 2030

• Growth in Women Seafarers: Women seafarers in India have grown by 649%, from 341 in 2014 to 2,557 in 2024.

၀ Financial assistance for women pursuing maritime careers increased from 45 in 2014-15 to 732 in 2024-25.

၀ Over 2,989 women seafarers have received government support in the last decade.

၀ Since 2015, registered women seafarers have risen by 739%, from 1,699 to 14,255 in 2024, indicating steady progress in gender inclusion.