Female Empowerment is about having an opportunity to develop, understanding an individual’s challenges, and working together – it needs both women and men. ‘OMICRON Energizing Women’ (OEW) is an initiative that empowers female electrical engineers in the Middle East and Africa. After the fourth edition, it’s clear – what began as a great idea became a huge success. Sharing experiences, discussing challenges, and learning about different possibilities for women in engineering – that’s the premise behind OEW. The first event took place in 2019. “We had a tough time finding participants, and only one woman attended. However, my coach Ahmed and I believed in the idea and decided not to cancel the event. It turned out to be the right decision”, Nadia Bouslama, Regional Marketing Communications Manager, at OMICRON Bahrain, explains. Since then, three more events have taken place, and the idea has become a success story. As of today, nearly 200 women have participated in OEW events. “The first two events were women-only to ensure a safe environment. We knew that certain topics could only be discussed if men were not present. I believe that was one of the main reasons that many women participated in the second event. We had people connecting from hospitals and airports to listen to our exchange, which was very impressive”, Nadia describes. Nadia also invited men to the third event, including Ahmed – who participated in the meeting. “Men need to know about the struggles women have when it comes to opportunities. Their help is needed to solve these problems, as men are often in charge.” EMPOWERING WOMEN IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING The success of the OEW initiative «Men need to know about the struggles women have when it comes to opportunities. Their help is needed to solve these problems, as men are often in charge.» Nadia Bouslama, Regional Marketing Communications Manager, OMICRON 6
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