IMEC and The Hood presented the first 47 sister boxes to cadet women at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) in the Philippines. These boxes are designed to integrate two complementary initiatives: IMEC's focus on the dignity and well-being of cadet women and The Hood's sisterhood initiative to create a stronger support network for women mariners.
Project Goal and Support for Women Mariners
This project hopes to create a movement in the maritime industry and challenge leaders to pay more attention to whether women receive the necessary support to enter the maritime profession and whether they can remain in it and build a sustainable career. The overall goal of The Hood is to transform the sisterhood into a permanent community where women mariners can connect, share their experiences, and receive the information and support they need throughout their careers.
Contents of the Sister Box
The sister box includes essential hygiene products for women and literature on how to receive support against harassment and bullying. Each box contains essential hygiene and personal care products along with practical information specifically prepared for women to prepare for life at sea. This box also provides guidance on identifying and responding to harassment, discrimination, and sexual harassment, including information on where women can seek support and how they can report their concerns.
The main goal behind the sister box goes beyond its contents. Women still remain a minority on most ships. While the industry is gradually focusing on encouraging young women to pursue maritime education and seafaring, IMEC and The Hood believe that attention must also be paid to the environment that these women are entering.
Josephine Le, CEO and founder of The Hood, said: "We talk a lot about attracting women to seafaring, but bringing women into this industry is just the first step. The bigger question is whether we are creating an industry where they feel sufficiently supported to build a long-term career."
This collaboration is based on IMEC's periodic dignity initiative for cadets and recognizes that access to appropriate menstrual products should be considered a normal welfare need, not an issue that women mariners should solve individually.
IMEC and The Hood hope this initiative will also encourage ship owners, ship managers, recruitment agencies, and maritime educational institutions to look beyond hiring goals and pay more attention to the everyday experiences of women in the industry. The sisterhood initiative also connects the physical box with an online sisterhood community in The Hood app, allowing recipients to connect after graduation and throughout their working lives at sea.
