It Takes Energy to Focus on Gender

In June 2022, the World Bank launched the Regional Network in Energy for Women in the Middle East and North Africa (RENEW-MENA) as a regional platform with the aim to i) boost women's economic participation across the energy sector value chain, specifically in jobs related to the clean energy transition; ii) encourage better workplace conditions for women in both the private and public sectors, and iii) combat widespread gender stereotypes about women's role in STEM fields and increase their visibility in the energy sector. To date, RENEW-MENA has institutional and strategic partnerships with national utilities, private sector, and academia in Morocco, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and West Bank and Gaza, and currently counts over 150 members.

The objective of the panel discussion is to shine a spotlight on MENA's regional effort via RENEW to boost women in future of work areas, learning from the WePower initiative in South Asia with the aim to discuss RENEW MENA plans going forward.

• Pranav Vaidya, Social Specialist, "WePower Interim Secretariat" , the World Bank

  Pranav Vaidya is a Social Specialist (ETC) at the World Bank. He has over 12 years' experience providing cross-sector analytical and operational support for energy and social development projects in multiple regions. He is a contributing author of the World Bank's 'Getting to Gender Equality in Energy Infrastructure Report'. As part of the core South Asia Gender and Energy Facility (SAGE II) team, Pranav helps to manage the WePOWER program and leads the gender and energy analytical works. He also works to ensure social safeguards and gender corporate requirements for infrastructure projects. Pranav has a Master's degree in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is a socioeconomist by training, with dual Bachelor's degrees in Economics and Anthropology from Macalester College.

• Leila Bouteraa, Director Skills Development, HR Department, STEG, Tunisia

  Leila Bouteraa has more than 30 years of experience in Human Resources management at STEG (Tunisia company of Electricity and Gas ) where she had occupied multiple positions; has worked  as a   Project manager Human Resources Information System (HRIS) and Project manager strategic workforce planning. Since 2017, Mrs. Leila Bouteraa is head  of the direction of training and skills development at STEG Tunisia.

• Sara Mousa, CEO, Shamsina Solar, Egypt

  Sara Mousa is the founder of Shamsina, a Cairo-based startup that manufactures affordable solar technologies for energy poor communities. Sarah is currently a Master in Public Policy candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School, focusing on social and urban policy. She has consulted for PricewaterhouseCoopers and the World Bank on social and urban policy issues. Sarah has written for the New York Times, the World Economic Forum, and Al Jazeera English on social issues in Arab countries. She is a 2011 Fulbright Scholar to Egypt; and the 2017-2018 Curator for WEF's Global Shapers Cairo Hub. Sarah holds a BA from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and an MA from Georgetown University's Contemporary Arab Studies Program.

• Yosra Assaker, Senior Energy Specialist, the World Bank

  Yosra Assaker is a seasoned energy engineer with 20+ years of experience in the Egyptian energy sector, she worked extensively in energy reforms and transformational policy setting, regional cooperation, and development projects in cooperation with multilateral development banks. Yosra has led mega energy projects and worked as the team leader under the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and mineral resources for the establishment of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF). Currently, she works at the World Bank on energy operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the main focus of her work now is energy transition and decarbonization, along with regional energy integration.

• ENG Amani Al-Azzam, Secretary General, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jordan

  Amani Al-Azzam is currently the Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) of Jordan and vice chairwomen of National Electric Power Company. Ms. Amani has more than 30 years of experience in the Jordanian energy sector. After completing her degree in electrical engineering, she has joined NEPCO focusing on gird planning and technical studies especially in the electrical and gas interconnection projects. Ms. Amani was appointed in 2016 as a Secretary General of the Jordanian energy ministry and since then she has been deeply involved in the in the renewable energy, gas, oil shale and oil sectors.

• ENG Lamya Youssef Abdel Hakim, Consultant for Renewable Energy, Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), Egypt

  Lamya Youssef Abdel Hakim is a Consultant for Renewable Energy at the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) - Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy. Freelance consultant with 30+ years in the field of electrical engineering. She worked as a procurement engineer for 15 years, shifting more towards the renewable energy field in 2007.

• Amira Klibi, Energy Specialist, the World Bank

  Amira Klibi is a seasoned electrical engineer with fifteen years of experience in the Tunisian energy sector. She has worked extensively on energy reforms and energy transition policies, regional cooperation, and development projects in cooperation with multilateral development banks. Amira is a passionate advocate for energy transition and renewable energy development. Amira has worked within the private sector, UNDP, and the national agency for energy conservation in the implementation of an energy transition strategy and the elaboration of a regulatory framework for renewable energies in Tunisia as well as the implementation of RE programs. She also worked as a head of the IPP project department in the ministry of energy for the preparation and implementation of the first concession projects of 500 MW solar and 300 MW wind. Currently, she is working at the World Bank on energy operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a strong focus on energy transition and decarbonization, and regional energy integration.

• Paul Noumba Um, Regional Director, MNA Infrastructure, the World Bank

  Paul Noumba Um is the Regional Director of the World Bank's Infrastructure Department in the Middle East and North Africa region. He is an infrastructure (energy, transport and water), telecommunications and private sector expert with over three decades of experience in infrastructure policy regulation and finance. He has advised governments, utility companies and private sector partners on energy security and efficiency, transportation, telecommunication, good governance, PPP and Privatization. Dr. Noumba Um has held technical and leadership roles within the World Bank - most recently as the Country Director for Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) and previously as the Country Director for Mali, Chad, Guinea, Central Africa Republic and Niger. He also served as the practice manager for Private Sector Development and finance for Western and Central Africa.