The South Asia Women in Power Sector Professional Network (WePOWER) Nepal National Chapter (NNC) was officially launched at the World Bank Country Office in Kathmandu on November 12, 2024.

WePOWER is a coalition of almost 50 energy sector stakeholders—including utilities, universities and professional associations—and has national chapters in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The launch of the Nepal chapter is a crucial step in promoting new national and regional partnerships to foster skills for advanced jobs and leadership roles for women in Nepal’s energy sector.

“The World Bank is proud to serve as the interim secretariat for WePOWER and we are committed to creating more jobs for women in Nepal. We want to see more women in the workforce and more women engaged in the critical policy dialogues that are shaping Nepal’s future,” said David Sislen, World Bank Regional Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

The WePOWER NNC has five Nepali partners: Alternative Energy Promotion Center, Institute of Engineering-Tribhuvan University, National Association of Community Electricity Users-Nepal, Nepal Electricity Authority, and Nepal Engineers’ Association Women’s Committee.

"WePOWER is not just a network, it is also a commitment to empower women in energy. Through WePOWER, we are helping to promote equal representation and create a brighter, more sustainable, and resilient future for all,” said Dr. Sangeeta Singh, Chair of the NNC.

Since 2019, when the first WePOWER Regional Conference was held in Kathmandu, WePOWER partners in Nepal have been instrumental in launching a range of gender-related activities benefitting 3,215 female professionals and students. These include hiring 214 women professionals, providing internships for 225 female students, organizing professional workshops/training for 1,584 women professionals, and supporting 32 women-friendly policies that benefitted 1,124 women professionals. Moving forward, the NNC will continue to support the participation of more women professionals in Nepal’s energy sector through its work plan.

“This milestone brings vital opportunities for women in the energy sector to build networks, develop leadership skills, and advance their careers. The Asian Development Bank is proud to support efforts that close gender gaps and promote women’s participation in key sectors,” said Arnaud Cauchois, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank Nepal.

Representatives from key energy sector utilities, development partners, private sector organizations, and academia attended the launch event. The event also included a roundtable discussion on how the NNC can foster skills for advanced jobs and leadership roles for women in Nepal’s energy sector. The speakers highlighted that the NNC has the potential to be a collective voice to advocate for change and push for more affirmative policies on caregiving, behavior change, and other aspects that affect women’s abilities to take up leadership roles.