Minister Stresses Integrating Women into Energy Sector

Amman: The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh, highlighted the significant disparity between the number of female graduates and their participation in the energy sector, underlining the importance of integrating women and supporting their advancement to leadership roles to achieve the goals in the clean energy sector. Speaking at the opening of the second annual conference of the Regional Network in the Field of Energy for Women - Middle East and North Africa (RENEW MENA) on Monday, with over 140 women from the MENA region in attendance, Kharabsheh noted that while 40 percent of energy engineering graduates are women, their sectoral contribution is only 14 percent. Kharabsheh stressed that women are equipped to work in the energy sector, urging efforts to increase their participation. He pointed out that one of the key objectives of the Economic Modernization Vision is to create one million new job opportunities. He underscored the conference's importance in generating recommendatio ns to support women's roles in the sector. World Bank Resident Representative in Jordan, Holly Benner, stated, "Promoting gender equality and women's empowerment across all sectors is a strategic investment in the region's future. Empowered women lead to thriving economies and growing societies." She reaffirmed the World Bank's commitment to enhancing women's participation in the economy, particularly in infrastructure sectors like energy and transportation, by improving access to education and leadership opportunities. Benner emphasized the World Bank's dedication to women's empowerment, which is central to its development agenda, aiming to foster inclusive growth and a more equitable society. Amani Azzam, Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, noted that the ministry continuously works to create equal opportunities for women in the energy sector. During the conference's first session, "Partners' Voices on Opportunities and Challenges in the Middle East and North Africa," she highlighted the need for networks to organize women's work in the energy sector, noting the ministry's pioneering partnership with the RENEW MENA network. Azzam shared her own experiences and challenges in the energy sector, emphasizing that determination, will, and support enabled her to achieve her current position. She highlighted the ministry's strides in supporting women, providing specialized roles in fields such as gas and laboratories, and offering training opportunities targeting local communities, where 72 percent of participants were women. She identified the lack of services like transportation and nurseries as major obstacles to women's employment, along with societal attitudes. Azzam stressed the need for cultural change and community awareness, which the ministry is addressing through educational lectures in schools to promote energy literacy and transformation among students aged 9 to 17, led by young female engineers. Source: Jordan News Agency