Hananah Zarrar
World Maritime Day 2019 is being celebrated by International Maritime Organization (IMO) with the theme, ‘Empowering Women in the Maritime Community’. This symbolizes the importance of contribution of women in maritime domain. This theme also depicts how in recent decades women have been taking their part in maritime affairs specifically naval forces all around as defenders of their countries, shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. Stereotyped thinking that women have no business with the combat is buried long ago.Major wars and emerging needs have brought an ungendered thinking in leading global powers’ minds. All major powers are successfully incorporating their women in all possible military areas to get benefit out of diversity. Still this restriction is practiced in many countries, where women are not allowed to join their military. On the other hand, there are a number of progressive countries taking their women on board to take part in active military combat and other related services.
Of all the militarydomains, navy incredibly empowers the women. UnlikeLand force and Airforce, where physical standards are necessary to be met, navy serves to be more spacious for women with its technology driven work. Here, women experience more flexibility in performing their duties. The recent US Navy’s effort to incorporate silent service (submarine crews) with ‘gender-neutral’ approach, stands out to be a milestone covered. Enlisting process was first initiated in 2011, while lately enlisted women now are on board to serve in the Blue and Gold crews of four guided-missile submarines. Navy is not a job, it’s a lifestyle. While coming across this phrase, one immediately starts picturizing the big roaring ships and silent underwater subs. It’s about weeks and months under-water ventures and surface voyages. Navy brings a whole new living to its serving personnel. Its fleet missions allow provides an equal opportunity for women as their male counterparts. To many females, educational opportunity within service is most appealing aspect of joining military specifically navy and air force. Traveling is one most attractive incentive which is a predominant aspect of joining navy. In “Deciding Which Military Service to Join”, November 5, 2018. For Navy, Stew Smith says, it is “the best place for those who like to travel.”
As navy serves to be a progressive ground for women, vice versa women prove to be strengthening pillars for maritime affairs particularly navy. Adding women strengthens navy alike every other organization. With addition of workforce, an availability of varying degree of critically thinking minds is what women induction provides to the navy. Diverse minds with critical thinkingbring multiple options during decision-making especially when one hasto decide within minute’s under-water, with possible loss of communication with the ground. Situational awareness and sharp heads are most needed in naval matters.Besides decision-making process, women exhibits more critical, creative, disciplinary and motivated character which is a requirement of national security.On the other hand, despite some physiological barriers, combat qualification can easily be attained through combat training as those of men.
In shifting world order, maritime focus is shifted towards the Indian Ocean Region and emerging tensions in the region. Alike United States and Royal Navy, South Asian active navies are on way of acknowledging the significance of their women population for their security apparatus. Inducting the skillful beings with sharp minds is the trending practice done by China, India and Pakistan. Southeast Asian security challenges and increased naval competition in the Indian Ocean Region,demandshighly competitive human resource irrespective of gender to play its role in securing the national borders.
Touching the Indian Ocean, country like Pakistan, bordering with a friend (China) on one side and foe (India) on the other, needs significant strategizing capability and productive minds to counter growing challenge of rival maritime expansion. Pakistan is one among nations that acknowledged the women empowerment and opened their way in military services; educational, medical, administrative, public relations and many other non-combatant services. Acknowledging the fact that maritime domain needs diverse and skillful human resource while it provides a whole new lifestyle and liberation to its women in service, Pakistan has successfully inviting women to serve in all possible maritime affairs while providing safe and secure environment. One major hinderance for women in such working environment is the harassment they face around. Pakistan navy ensures a secure and protected environment for its female commissioned and non-commissioned officers and ensures that a conclusive and friendly working environment in available to attain maximum output from its workforce be it mal/ female.
With Pakistan navy’s escalated focus on gender equality in naval force, expanded opportunities for women are under way in maritime affairs. In accord with on-going events and initiatives taken by Pakistan navy, traditional role of women is already practiced for recent decades while their active combat role is predictable in comingdays.
Email: hanana.zarar1@gmail.com
