Uganda is intensifying efforts to increase the number of women in engineering and other technical fields, as leaders in the energy sector call for stronger participation of girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, urged young women to embrace STEM education as a pathway to leadership and influence within the country’s evolving energy landscape.
She made the remarks during the Women in Energy Forum and Dinner organized by the Electricity Regulatory Authority in Lugogo, where stakeholders emphasized the urgency of closing gender gaps in engineering and energy-related professions.
Nankabirwa underscored that affirmative action is firmly grounded in Uganda’s constitutional framework and remains critical in achieving real gender equality.
“This commitment cannot just be amended. It is entrenched,” she said, stressing that equality requires deliberate effort. “Equality is not automatic. It must be engineered through policy, through investments, and through opportunity.”
She called on women to transition from passive beneficiaries of development to active architects of change within the energy sector.
“Women must not remain only beneficiaries of change; they must become designers of this change,” she added.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Regulatory Authority, Ziria Tibalwa Waako, highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at inspiring girls to pursue STEM careers. She revealed that outreach programs have so far reached 78 schools and impacted more than 50,000 girls across the country.
“To date, we have visited 78 schools across the country and reached 50,000 girls, and this is just the beginning,” she said, noting growing demand from students for continuous mentorship and structured career guidance.
Board Chairperson Grania Rosette Rubomboras pointed to persistent structural barriers limiting women’s participation in technical roles. She called for increased representation of women across engineering departments, system operations, grid management, and energy research.
“Too many women remain underrepresented. We need more women in engineering departments, more in system operations, more in grid management, and in energy research,” she said, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, resilience, and exposure in overcoming gender barriers.
Representing the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Cecilia Menya stressed the transformative role of energy access in tackling inequality and driving national development.
“Energy is more than electricity; it is opportunity. Where energy is absent, inequality thrives,” she said, citing ongoing government interventions in clean cooking, solar expansion, and rural electrification.
She added that the ministry is implementing gender-responsive policies across energy projects, including support for women entrepreneurs, improved access to financing, and increased participation of women in technical roles.
Stakeholders at the forum agreed that sustained investment in education, mentorship, and inclusive policies will be key to boosting women’s participation in Uganda’s energy transition.
Held under the theme “Energy for Equality: Give to Gain,” the forum brought together policymakers, regulators, students, and development partners to advance gender inclusion and empower the next generation of women leaders in the energy sector.
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