Encouraging women to consider the world of engineering

For many people, 23 June has little significance. But for me, and an increasing number of others, it represents something very important. It is the International Day for Women in Engineering: one of the key milestones of the year.
When celebrating International Women in Engineering Day, one of the most common questions asked is why do we need it? If women want to be treated as equals and not according to their gender, why is there a day especially for female engineers? Does that imply that somebody defined simply as an engineer must be male? These questions aren’t just being asked by men, but by women too. They’re valid questions, but their basis essentially questions the positive impact of International Women in Engineering Day. I argue against this assumption – by having a day celebrating female engineers and their achievements, we’re not undermining the efforts to achieve gender equality, we’re building on them.