Zanzibar — ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has highlighted the importance of empowering women engineers and promoting inclusion in the field of engineering to drive sustainable development in Tanzania.
"We believe that these conventions have contributed greatly to our government's efforts to develop scientific innovations and engineering works that contribute to the development of our nation," Dr Mwinyi said during the 8th Tanzania Women Engineers Convention and Exhibitions (TAWECE) held in Zanzibar at the weekend.
He encouraged women engineers to continue to collaborate and contribute to the development of the country, especially to achieve the goal of having an upper middle class economy by 2025.
The theme of the convention is "The Power of Diversity and Inclusion in Engineering Workforce: Women Perspectives"
President Mwinyi acknowledged the important role played by the Ministry of Works and Transport in administering the construction policy and allocating funds for practical training of graduate engineers, especially women engineers.
He reiterated government's commitment to support girls studying science in secondary education and vocational training colleges to increase the number of women engineers in the country.
Speaking during the event, AngloGold Ashanti - Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML) Vice-President of Sustainability for Ghana and Tanzania Mr Simon Shayo promised to cooperate with the government in increasing the number of women's participation in the development of the country by enabling them to master the field of engineering.
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He emphasised the company's belief in the value women bring to the engineering field and their vital role in driving innovation and success.
"We believe that the presence of women engineers enriches the capabilities of our company, and we have continued to create an environment that respects differences and allows all employees to reach their full potential, regardless of gender or background," said Shayo.
He added that, GGML actively supported initiatives that encouraged more women to pursue careers in engineering, offering scholarships, mentorships and internships to break gender stereotypes and create equal opportunities for all.
"The company worked to increase women's representation in the mining sector and contributed significantly to development efforts, particularly in education.
It invested in projects that promoted science education for girls, enabling them to fully participate and achieve their goals in science and engineering fields," he said.
President of the Institution of Engineers Tanzania, Women Chapter, Eng Dr Gemma Modu who spearheaded this year's event, said, statistics showed that women's participation in engineering was still very low compared to men.
She said the Institute of Engineers Tanzania Women's Chapter (IET Women Chapter) functions to fulfill the institution's objectives, including the promotion and development of engineering among girls and women to increase the participation of women in the engineering workforce."
The convention, which was attended by over 800 participants from mainland Tanzania as well as international guests from Zambia and Ghana, provided a platform to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in engineering.
