WOMEN engineers from Zambia, Uganda and Kenya are expected to take part in the Tanzania Women Engineers Convention and Exhibition (TAWCE) planned to take place in Dar es Salaam next week.

The event is organised by the Institute of Tanzania Engineers Women Chapter (IETWC) seeks to discuss challenges and ways of tackling them as well as mentoring women on how to grab opportunities found within the engineering field.

Women engineers from the selected African countries will take part in the 7th TAWCE, where around 1,000 women engineers will attend with the aim of motivation fellow women to grab chances in the field from their own development and that of the country, said Esther Christopher, IETWC Secretary.

She said that the meeting which is expected to be graced by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, where also outstanding engineering creative works from secondary school and university women students will be awarded.

"Secondary school girls and those in colleges will meet with those in the fields, where they look to motivate them to give up stereotypes that engineering fields were meant for men than women.

"This will motivate them to opt for science subjects as a starting point," she said.

The theme of the convention is 'Employability, Leadership, and Innovation', where work environment challenges facing women in the engineering field and how to solve them will also be part of the discussion.

Ms Christopher highlighted that infrastructures at construction sites were one of the major challenges facing women, where no clear hygienic facilities like toilets or bathrooms, and that pregnant women engineers were facing even greater challenges in doing their jobs.

According to her, Tanzania has about 3,000 women engineers, who form 12 per cent of total engineers registered in the country.