The principal aim of the #WomenInSAR initiative is to encourage more women and girls to take up roles in maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) by providing support for, and raising the profile of, women in the maritime SAR sector. This supports both the “Empowering Women In Maritime” initiative of the IMO and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. This Guidance is intended to help SAR organisations address the key themes and issues that came out of the IMRF #WomenInSAR report, including: • Culture & values of an organisation. • Recruitment. • In-post support schemes for women, such as mentoring schemes. • Wider societal attitudes & perceptions. • Be a learning organisation. As well as making recommendations on best practices, the Guidance features case studies from SAR organisations around the world, both governmental and non-governmental, showing what they have done to try to increase the representation of women in maritime SAR. It is important to note that this guidance is intended to provide a suggested basis for future action - SAR organisations will need to conduct their own research to identify issues and concerns local to them, so that they can better understand what actions can help them best to recruit and/or retain more women.