As the World Customs Organization prepares to celebrate International Women's Day 2025, its "Successful Women in Customs" initiative highlights how female leadership is transforming the traditionally male-dominated field of customs administration.
The Vision for Change
In the dynamic arena of global trade, customs organizations play a pivotal role in facilitating commerce, ensuring national security, and maintaining socioeconomic stability. The World Customs Organization (WCO), as the global leader in this field, recognizes that gender equality and diversity are not just fundamental human rights but crucial drivers for enhancing customs efficiency, fostering innovation, and achieving sustainable development.
Spotlighting Success Stories
Launched in March 2024 by WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders, the "Successful Women in Customs" campaign showcases ten exceptional women from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds who have made significant contributions to customs operations worldwide. Their stories of professional achievement, leadership, and perseverance serve as powerful inspiration for future generations.
"You can't be what you can't see," emphasized Saunders, underscoring the initiative's purpose to make female role models in customs administration more visible. The featured women share insights on leadership, communication, professional ethics, and continuous learning - providing valuable perspectives for the industry's development.
Aligning with Global Priorities
The 2025 International Women's Day theme, "Rights, Equality, Empowerment for All Women and Girls," converges with WCO's annual focus on "Customs Engaging for Efficiency, Safety and Prosperity." This alignment reflects WCO's recognition of women's unique contributions to customs management and their critical role in daily operations.
Women bring distinct advantages to risk management, compliance, and customer service, injecting new vitality into customs administrations. "These women demonstrate remarkable determination and resilience through constant self-reflection and improvement," noted Saunders. "This reinforces our conviction that gender equality and diversity are not just about equal rights but constitute a strategic component for enhancing customs performance."
Institutional Commitment
Beyond celebrating achievements, WCO has implemented concrete measures to advance gender equality, including:
• The third edition of the Customs Gender Equality and Diversity Compendium, supported by UK's HMRC under WCO's Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program
• The updated 2023 Gender Equality Organizational Assessment Tool
• The 2020 Council Declaration on Gender Equality and Diversity
These resources provide member administrations with practical frameworks for developing inclusive policies across recruitment, promotion, training, and workplace environments.
The Innovation Imperative
WCO's initiatives stem from the understanding that diversity fuels innovation. Teams with varied backgrounds and perspectives are better equipped to tackle complex challenges and devise creative solutions. In an era of rapid global trade evolution, customs administrations particularly benefit from the fresh viewpoints women bring to their organizations.
Ongoing Challenges
Despite progress, women in customs still face obstacles including unequal career advancement opportunities and work-life balance difficulties. WCO encourages member administrations to establish clear gender equality policies, provide equal training and promotion opportunities, and create supportive work environments.
The Path Forward
WCO remains committed to policy advocacy, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and awareness-raising to advance gender equality in customs worldwide. As International Women's Day 2025 approaches, the organization calls on all stakeholders to collaborate in creating more equitable opportunities for women in the field.
Through sustained efforts, WCO envisions building a more inclusive, efficient customs management system that benefits all. The "Successful Women in Customs" initiative serves not just as celebration but as a call to action - reminding us that gender equality is an ongoing journey requiring continuous commitment.