ISLAMABAD: Seventeen Pakistani female students have been selected for an American scholarship program at a Texas A&M University campus in Qatar to increase women’s participation in the energy sector, the US Embassy in Pakistan announced.
Organized by the US-Pakistan Women’s Council (USPWC), the four-week Future of Women in Energy Scholars Program — which will begin on Sunday — seeks to promote education in energy studies and foster young women’s participation and leadership on energy issues.
In Pakistan, women constitute only about 4 percent of the overall workforce in energy utilities, according to a 2020 World Bank study.
“Through this program, the U.S. Mission in Pakistan is helping Pakistani women to pursue career opportunities in the energy sector and help them develop networks for a vibrant future,” US Ambassador to Pakistan, David Blome, said in a statement.
USPWC executive director Radhika Prabhu said the program is expected to give women “hands-on experience in the energy sector.”
The program’s participants are currently pursuing bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering at private and public universities across Pakistan.
It is co-sponsored by the US Embassy in Pakistan, the US Department of State, the US Department of Energy, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Texas A&M University and other public and private sector entities.