WePOWER Network in South Asia

WePOWER Network is a women’s network dedicated to professionals in South Asia’s energy and power sectors and to students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. The programme notes that the total share of women in South Asian power utilities ranges from 3% to 25%, and the share of women engineering/technical employees is even lower – less than 1% to 21%. Therefore, WePOWER, launched in 2019, undertakes gender activities to narrow the gap in women employed in the energy sector and STEM education. The initiative’s work is based around five pillars: STEM education, recruitment, professional development, retention, and policy and institutional change. Activities include study tours and field visits, STEM outreach workshops, training seminars, mentorships and development of women friendly facilities, all designed around women empowerment. The partners of the network are East Asian businesses and organisations linked to the energy and power sector. In 2021, the network managed to reach over 13 400 women participants through 628 activities with the help of 28 partners. For 2022, WePOWER’s partners plan to set more ambitious targets to implement over 900 activities that reach more than 19 000 women and girls in South Asia. The World Bank’s South Asia Gender and Energy Facility serves as the Interim-Secretariat of the WePOWER Network, with the support of the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program and Australian Aid. 

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