The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) staged a conference in Nairobi discussing gender diversity in aviation. reports Nicosia's TravelDailyNews.

"There is need to make the aviation industry more gender balanced at the national, international and global levels. Investing in women and youth has a multiplier effect on productivity as well as sustainable growth," said AFRAA secretary general Abderahmane Berthe.

The conference presentations revealed that women numbers are still low in STEM (science technology engineering math) careers and women are underrepresented in leadership, said the report.

In the world's top 100 airlines, three per cent of airline CEOs and COOs and eight per cent of CFOs are women according to a study done by IATA.

"The ICAO and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) underscore the importance of gender equity to spur economic growth and promote social development," said Mr Berthe.

Source Shipping Gazette