4th Conference of the South Asia Women in Power Sector Professional Network (WePOWER)
- yunuscenter
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
The 4th WePOWER Conference in Negombo, Sri Lanka, brought together more than 150 participants from 21 countries to discuss what it takes to build the workforce needed for the energy transition.
The conference brought together energy sector leaders, utilities, academic institutions, development partners, and women’s networks from South Asia and beyond. Discussions covered renewable energy, artificial intelligence, digitalization, smart grids, electric mobility, workforce transformation, and the skills needed for emerging roles.
One message came through clearly throughout the conference: the energy transition is as much about people as it is about technology.
Among the distinguished speakers were Prof. Siddharth K. Jabade, Vice President, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT); Dr. Bindu N. Lohani, Chancellor, University of Nepal, and Vice-Chair, AIT Board; Ms. Shannon Cowlin, Country Director, Sri Lanka, Asian Development Bank (ADB); Dr. Chandrasekar Govindarajalu, Practice Manager, ESMAP – Energy Sector Management Assistance Program; Ms. Theresa O’Mahony, Deputy High Commissioner of the UK to Sri Lanka; and Mr. Kiril Iordanov, Counsellor, Development and Head of Cooperation, High Commission of Canada to Sri Lanka.
The first day of the conference opened with reflections on WePOWER’s journey since 2019. Through more than 21,000 activities, the network has reached over 282,000 women and girls, demonstrating the impact of sustained regional collaboration.
Discussions highlighted the need for reskilling and upskilling, stronger links between academia and industry, and greater participation of women in leadership and technical roles. Participants also emphasized the importance of practical skilling, reskilling, and upskilling opportunities to prepare people for emerging roles.
The conference also highlighted an important milestone in WePOWER’s evolution — the establishment of the WePOWER Global Secretariat at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok. The Secretariat will help strengthen partner ownership, deepen collaboration, and support the network’s long-term sustainability.
Day 2 focused on the women already working in the energy sector, young women considering it as a career, and what needs to change to help more of them succeed.
Speakers shared examples from different countries showing how training, mentorship, access to jobs, leadership development, inclusive hiring practices, and supportive workplaces can help create more inclusive workplaces and provide greater opportunities for women.
A strong theme throughout the day was that talent can be found everywhere, but opportunities are not always equally available.
Discussions focused on how governments, companies, universities, and development partners can work together to help women move from classrooms to careers, from entry-level roles to leadership positions, and from being participants in the sector to shaping its future.
The conference also included breakout meetings with women’s networks from East Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, which sough
t to learn from WePOWER’s journey.
These discussions focused on aligning trainings, mentorships, internships, and HR practices with government priorities, as well as energy security and resilience needs in fragile, conflict, and violence-affected contexts (FCV) and small island developing states (SIDS).
As the conference came to a close, the discussions reinforced that building the energy workforce of the future is not only about new technologies, renewable energy, or artificial intelligence. It is also about ensuring that the people needed to drive these changes are not left behind.
WePOWER’s impact is already being felt across South Asia and beyond, but the journey is still unfolding.
Comments