INWES and AWSE co-sponsored a leadership workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, 15-19 August 2004, for women scientists and engineers from 16 African countries. The sessions were focused on how to more effectively integrate women into economic growth and non-traditional fields to help bring about sustainable development in Africa. Primary support for travel costs of the non-Kenyan participants was generously provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) provided support for several of the Kenyan delegates.

Dr. Monique Frize, INWES President, expressed her delight at the great success of this first regional event: “Many of the 80 women delegates told us they gained invaluable leadership skills, information on starting a micro-business, knowledge on how to help their communities and be role models for girls and young women.” A statement from a delegate reflected the feelings of many: “The workshop has been an eye opener. The resource people have been very competent and more importantly motivational in their approach, encouraging participants to come out of their “shells” to excel in entrepreneurship and in leadership. This has been a very successful workshop and I say congratulations to the organisers.” Another participant was stimulated in starting her own business. She says: “The workshop was indeed a very useful tool to help me as a professional role model to girls and has stimulated me into starting to venture into business. Topics were very relevant and the facilitators very effective.” The co-chairs of the local organising committee, Drs. Mabel Imbuga and Caroline Lang’at-Thoruwa agree that this collaboration was a great success.

AWSE is also a non-profit organization whose main objective is to create a critical mass of African women scientists and engineers and to increase the participation of girls in science and mathematics through enhanced education awareness. The AWSE has over 300 members from 21 countries.

INWES has three primary objectives—to become an influential voice on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) issues for the benefit of women and gender equity; to increase the presence of women in leading STEM decision-making bodies; and to promote the exchange of information, networking, and advocacy among scientific and engineering corporations and organizations. This event, according to the INWES Directors present at this meeting, is a perfect example of how INWES is accomplishing these objectives. This model will be repeated in various parts of the world in those years when INWES is not holding its major triennial conferences. INWES’ next major conference (ICWES13) will be held August 28-3, 2005 in Seoul, Korea. Regional events are being planned for 2006 and 2007. Over the next year, INWES will also be establishing a worldwide web portal for networking and obtaining access to information about women in STEM; and initiating several projects to increase awareness of careers in STEM for girls.  

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The International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES)  is dedicated to strengthening the capacity of individuals, organizations, and corporations to influence policies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics worldwide, and encouraging the education, recruitment, retention, support, and advancement of professional women and students through an international network of organizations and experts.  This non-profit corporation currently represents over 100,000 women from 30 countries.  Membership is open to any organization, corporation, or individual who supports women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and embraces INWES objectives.

CONTACT:
Monique Frize (Canada) or Mabel Imbuga (Kenya)
mfrize@connect.carleton.ca (613-795-6901) awse@cgiar.org (254-020-524000)