In 2020 we began launching thematic training weeks at ICAO. The pandemic created many challenges for aviation and more than ever now, as the industry works to build capacity throughout the recovery, we need to increase and improve resource capabilities. This September we will be bridging this need with another important one, ensuring there are women serving at all levels, including in decision-making roles, in this industry.
ICAO’s Global Aviation Training Section (GAT) is holding a special Training Awareness Week from 19 to 23 September 2022 that is dedicated to increasing female participation in aviation training. Generously funded by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA), the objective of this dedicated event is to raise awareness about the importance of the career advancement of women in leadership and technical roles in aviation in line with ICAO’s Gender Equality Programme.
This virtual Training Awareness Week will kick off with a webinar on Monday, 19 September 2022 at 8h00 (EDT UTC−04:00) to highlight the importance of enhancing gender equality in aviation. ICAO’s Secretary General and Mr. Mohamed Faleh Alhajri, President of the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and sponsor of this latest ICAO gender equality initiative, will open the Ceremony with welcome remarks. The webinar will feature a panel discussion on the barriers women face within the industry and opportunities for fostering gender balance through the identification of concrete actions. Five leading female aviation professionals will tackle issues surrounding gender imbalance in the aviation sector and share their experiences on how they overcame such challenges to achieve leadership roles.
Themed around Accelerating Change through Female Empowerment in Aviation, the panel will comprise the following:
- Güliz Öztürk, CEO, Pegasus Airlines
- Hee Jeong Lee, Executive Vice President, Incheon International Airport Corporation
- Kathy Guilfoyle, President, International Aviation Womens Association, and Member of Campbell, Conroy & O’Neil, P.C.
- Winnie Ngamije, Deputy Director General, Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority
- Jane Hupe, Deputy Director, Environment, Air Transport Bureau, ICAO
Though registration for this webinar is open to all aviation professionals here, the training activities carried out throughout the week are by invitation only. After the Opening Ceremony and panel discussion, female aviation professionals who were nominated from around the globe will partake in technical and competency development courses to be delivered throughout the one-week period.
This targeted activity is an important step forward to help reach the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 of achieving gender equality by 2030. Past ICAO gender equality initiatives undertaken last year included offering discounts for prospective and current female professionals on ICAO online courses, with the aim to help women further develop their technical skills, and potentially contribute to advancing their education and career pursuit in aviation. Moreover, over 225 female aviation personnel in 31 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and 7 Developing Countries benefitted from free ICAO training in 2021 thanks to funding received from the United States.
