SDG and Chilean Navy

Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda is  “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. Chilean society is considered to be conservative amongst Latin American countries and in Chile traditional gender attitudes persist.Abortion is illegal in all circumstances and divorce was legalized in 2006.

Women Hydrographers

The Chilean Navy or Armada de Chile was established in 1918 and gender integration and equality policy is being actively implemented. The Navy got its first female pilot in 2021. Lieutenant Junior Grade Daniela Figueroa Scholz was top of her Naval Aviation course .

Credit Dialogo Americas

Lt Daniela Machuca Executive Officer of the PSH “Cabrales ” a Survey vessel is the first Naval Engineer in Hydrography and Oceanography.

Credit International Hydrographic Review

Till the year 2020 the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Chilean Navy graduated 12 female enlisted personnel who have been integrated into hydrographic and oceanographic departments and routinely conduct  hydrographic and oceanographic surveys and data processing.

Scandalous Conduct

Women continue to face challenges in an exclusively male dominated environment. Sailors and non-commissioned officers serving on a Chilean Navy frigate are facing court martial for planting hidden cameras in the quarters of female crew.The images were shared online and the victims were given an option of transfer to another vessel but they decided to brave it out.

Latin American Women in Navy

Captain Eliana Krawczyk was the Argentinian Navy first female submarine commander. Tragedy struck her and 43 crew members when her submarine ARA San Juan sank in 2017.

Credit CIMSEC

Captain Valerie Sorrenti became the commander of Audaz a minesweeper in the Uruguay Navy and has been tasked to combat unregulated fishing in its territorial waters.

Credit CIMSEC

In 2009 Frigate Lieutenant.  Raquel Elena Romero  got the distinction of becoming the Colombian Navy first female commander of a buoy deploying vessel.Captain Casandra Silva commanded an offshore patrol vessel in the year 2018 in the Peruvian Navy.

Credit CIMSEC

Admirals in the Brazilian Navy include Rear Admiral Luciana Mascarenhas da Costa Marroni . Women in the Latin American Navy are holding their ground and performing as well as their male counterparts whether enlisted personnel or commissioned  officers.The Latin American Navy is actively pursuing the goal of recruitment and integration of women in operational branches.

By Nadir Mumtaz