Members of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Working Group on Gender Equality and Diversity discussed on Monday (12.04.2021) new proposals aimed at increasing the empowerment of women in administrations.
The virtual meeting provided an opportunity for representatives of 14 customs administrations (Argentina, Brazil, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Maldives, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe) will exchange experiences, reported the WCO.
Argentine Customs (South America), which participated for the first time in the Working Group on Gender Equality and Diversity, shared information on recent initiatives launched to promote gender and diversity policies in the administration, including the development of a Protocol and training for managers to prevent gender violence in the workplace and a Guide on how to promote and implement gender-sensitive language in internal and external communication.
The Jamaica Customs Agency (Caribbean), which also recently joined the Working Group, briefed the other members on its work to implement gender mainstreaming in management. This process has included the development of a comprehensive action plan and several measures to prevent sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the workplace. Other initiatives disclosed include gender sensitization training for senior managers and the application of inclusive and gender-sensitive language in all policy documents.
Zambia Revenue Authority (Africa) also shared experiences from a two-day workshop recently organised by the administration for women traders, which aimed to train female traders on customs policies and procedures. The workshop, which brought together 100 participants, also provided information on topics such as customs ethics, e-services and the Customer Care Centre and aimed primarily at giving female traders a better understanding of the particular challenges they face. It also served to raise awareness and raise awareness within Customs of the needs of this sector of trade.
In order to improve the overall performance of customs administrations, many members have stepped up their efforts to promote gender equality and diversity. In December 2020, the Customs Cooperation Council Declaration on Gender Equality and Diversity was adopted, “a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development, growth and competitiveness”, in the words of the WCO.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
