WePOWER Assessment 2024-25 : Women’s Jobs in the South Asia Power Sector - Summary Report

World Bank

Published

30 Jun 2026

Coverage

South Asia

The South Asia Region’s power sector has made the inclusion of women in its workforce a visible priority, catalyzed by the South Asia Women in Power Sector Professional Network’s (WePOWER) targeted interventions. WePOWER seeks to increase women’s participation in energy sector jobs, especially in technical and managerial positions. Over the last five years, WePOWER Partners have catalyzed significant change in the participation, retention, and advancement of women in the energy sector across South Asia. This study draws on extensive data from more than30 power sector utilities, including over 2,000 employee surveys and more than 200 hours of interviews with 871 participants through 171 individual and group discussions. As WePOWER steers toward establishing a permanent regional secretariat and Partner-led national chapters, this brief offers a thorough analysis of WePOWER’s impact and recommendations for future directions. WePOWER’s impact is evident: the network helps Partners advance gender equity through a clear action framework and active knowledge exchange. Its Five Pillar Framework, emphasis on data and target setting, and sharing of good practices have become powerful and practical tools for shaping organizational culture and influencing sector policy. Partners have recommended that WePOWER increase outreach and expand its activities, which are currently concentrated in central offices and among technical staff. Key recommendations include broadening the scope of WePOWER’s activities to be more inclusive, particularly by involving non-technical staff and men who may face similar challenges and can benefit from the program’s offerings. Encouragingly, there is broad recognition among both women and men across all career levels that increasing women’s participation in the energy sector is vital. Everyone can benefit from access to more training and career development opportunities.