UNOPS Bangladesh office celebrated International Women in Engineering Day 2024 by hosting the 11th episode of "SDG Café," a monthly roundtable discussion series.

This event highlighted the importance of women's contributions to engineering and focused on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5), which advocates for gender equality.

The event featured speakers Shamina Reza Ava (Eminent Architect), Fatema Begum Mita (CAD Architect), Maria Wernevi (Advisor to the Regional Director, Project Management and Gender, Diversity & Social Inclusion, Asia Region, UNOPS), and Sudhir Muralidharan (Country Manager of UNOPS Bangladesh).

Sudhir Muralidharan opened the session, emphasising the critical role of women engineers in creating a sustainable future and promoting gender equality within the field. He highlighted UNOPS’s initiatives to support and encourage women engineers through gender-friendly workplace policies.

Maria Wernevi discussed the importance of gender-sensitive project management and the positive impact of inclusive practices in engineering projects. She stressed the need for policies that promote gender equality and support the professional growth of women engineers.

Shamina Reza Ava shared her journey as a pioneering woman in engineering, addressing the societal and workplace challenges women face. She highlighted the need for visible role models and systemic changes to create a more inclusive environment.

Ava emphasised that women’s unique perspectives are crucial for innovation and solving global challenges.

Fatema Begum Mita discussed the significant obstacles women in engineering encounter through her diverse experiences, including a lack of workplace flexibility, unclear promotion paths, and limited mentorship. She underscored the importance of visibility and representation, stating that celebrating women engineers’ achievements inspires young girls to pursue careers in the field.

Students from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), BRAC University, and United International University (UIU) actively participated in an interactive Q&A session, engaging with the speakers and receiving valuable guidance.

The event concluded with a networking session, fostering connections between attendees and speakers and discussing potential opportunities for mentorship and collaboration.