Allowing and promoting more women to enter and succeed in the industry, can motivate other women to challenge gender stereotypes and make inroads into traditionally male-dominated fields. Women’s empowerment is a vital cause and responsibility that everyone should support because empowering women means strengthening the whole community and future generations. Women should be encouraged and supported to seek and further their education in specialized disciplines such as STEM. According to Global Gender Gap Report 2021, gender gaps are more likely in industries that require disruptive technical skills.
Under this framework, we are all very proud of our Sustainability Consultant Dana Hamad for being selected to be a part of the WiSER Pioneers Program 2022! Sustainability Knowledge Group is very excited to have one of our own team members participating in this impactful initiative. As a woman-led organization, we have been trying to actively support and promote female colleagues in business positions and leadership roles.
The WiSER Pioneers Program: for Women’s Empowerment
The WiSER Pioneers Program, is part of the Women in Sustainability, Environment, and Renewable Energy (WiSER) platform launched by Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s Future Energy Company. As more and more companies around the world integrate gender equality in their business operations, the WiSER Program is a year-long program that begins at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and offers young women aged 25 to 35 the opportunity to attend educational workshops, global events, and professional internships, assisting in the development of sustainability leaders. The program runs annually and aims to connect women with mentors in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) who can help foster professional development and personal discovery.
Developed in partnership with the Zayed Future Energy Prize (ZFEP), the WiSER platform is dedicated to inspiring women to play an active role in addressing global sustainability challenges, to be catalysts of innovation, and play an active role in finding adequate sustainability-related solutions. Education, engagement, and empowerment are the three key pillars of the WiSER platform. The platform provides many educational opportunities for all the female participants to enhance their knowledge and skills to achieve sustainable development. It also encourages engagement with business leaders, policymakers, and researchers to build networks and share ideas. WiSER aims to empower women with actual experiences to help them develop into capable leaders in steering the world towards sustainability.
Individuals in the Pioneers Program can also enroll in other initiatives such as the WiSER Mentorship Program. In addition, the WiSER Wisdom Series is a platform for knowledge exchange and debate sessions by local and international speakers on problems including sustainability, innovation, and women empowerment. These initiatives can strengthen young women’s leadership, allowing them to actively engage in and influence sustainability decision-making, as well as seize opportunities in the green economy.
At the beginning of each year, the WiSER platform hosts a variety of programs as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW). The WiSER Annual Forum is the platform’s main event dedicated to empowering women to accelerate sustainable development. The WiSER Annual Forum invites global policymakers and industry leaders to discuss topics related to sustainability with considering the gender equality aspect. The theme of the 2022 Forum was “Energy access for all: empowering women to accelerate sustainable development.” It generally reviewed the barriers women face that prevent them from benefiting from clean energy developments and policies that deprive them of accessing clean electricity, energy financing, and energy-related job opportunities. One of the outcomes of the Forum is a whitepaper based on the outputs of the discussion sessions, which summarizes the insightful findings and solutions proposed during the discussions.
Global Gender Gap
According to Global Gender Gap Report 2021, gender gaps are more likely in industries that require disruptive technical skills. Women make up 14% of the workforce in Cloud Computing, 20% in Engineering, and 32% in Data and AI. There is also a persistent lack of women in leadership positions, with women representing just 27% of all manager positions. When inequalities persist, especially when they are extreme, spanning economic, social, political, and environmental factors, sustainable development and social cohesion will always be elusive. To close the gender gap in STEM professions, it is critical to improve and appreciate young women’s participation and achievement in STEM education and careers. It is also essential to strengthen countries’ capacity to deliver STEM education through creative educational content. Furthermore, raising awareness about the importance of STEM education for girls and women can positively change society’s mindset. These objectives will help raise a generation of women who will contribute to the future’s innovation-knowledge-based economy.
Women in the energy sector
The contributions and accomplishments of women in the energy sector have increased more than ever before. However, there is still work to be done. There is an urgent need to establish more educational programs because the energy sector is not only a current priority, but it is also critical on a global scale in the long run due to the consequences of climate change.
The energy sector is a highly competitive environment that requires a steady and rapid flow of STEM-educated talent. Around the world, young women and girls are significantly underrepresented in STEM-related fields. Over time, their aspirations and interest in STEM careers can decline or disappear altogether.
About Sustainability Knowledge Group
Sustainability Knowledge Group is a global Sustainability, ESG, and CSR advisory firm dedicated to creating value through strategic advisory and training solutions, coaching, and meetups. We work with organizations to develop, manage, and measure effective Sustainability strategies and programs, address environmental challenges, bring tangible results, positive impact, and create better businesses. If you want to learn more about our services, please visit:
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