Until recently, successive governments have overlooked a valuable resource in planning and executing development-focused programmes in the industry – the inclusion of women.
The 59th power dialogue organised by The Electricity Hub sought to examine the impact women could have in utility advancement in Africa. The discussion was indeed an exciting and intriguing one.
Here are the highlights;
The session hosted the Commissioner, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, Aisha Mahmud; Former Vice President, World Federation of Engineering Organisation, Valerie Agberagba; Policy and Partnerships Manager, All On, Adaobi Oniwinde and Head, Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project, Anita Otubu.
The discussion centred around how women could make their voices heard and make innovative contributions in conferences, gatherings and meetings etc. Aisha Mahmud opinionated that a good way to resolve being interrupted while speaking is to trust your voice and speak in a composed manner.
Valerie Agberagba highlighted the challenges encountered by females in STEM, including the fear of not knowing what to expect in a male-dominated organisation and the inferiority complex, which affects their output and performance. Another challenge is men’s domination to assign only simple non-technical functions to well-trained females because they believe it’s a man’s duty.
How can women overcome these challenges?
According to Adaobi Oniwinde, the first step to address the challenges women face in the industry is for organisations and government to establish policies that would encourage the acceptance of women in the workplace and arrest the culture of sexual harassment so women feel safe while they bring out their best.
Furthermore, women are encouraged to develop capacity through training and take up top roles in organisations. This would gain them a level of respect and a forerunner of influencing the right policies.
Finally, it highlighted the variety of functions women could assume to improve the state of Africa’s utility sector as several units in the power sector lack women’s inclusion. In addition, women are also encouraged to take up training in the renewable energy space as the world stirs towards clean energy.