The panel session was opened by Ms. Kavitha Kasynathan, Head of Development, Australian Embassy, Nepal who set the context by highlighting the significant underrepresentation of women in key roles especially in the infrastructure sector. She also acknowledged the efforts of several programs in the region and in Australia which are promoting female participation and leadership in transport and infrastructure projects. Amongst other panelists, Prof. Faiz Shah, Executive Director of YCA and Ms. Shivani Manaktala, Team Leader , SARIC TNS, explained how interventions such as SAR100 not only motivate women to take on leadership roles but also offer technical training and mentorship to overcome barriers and succeed in traditionally male-dominated sectors. SAR100 as a program was well appreciated, with life changing impactful stories which has now fueled the inception of the program’s second phase.
Nepal Infrastructure Summit (NIS) held in Kathmandu brought together more than 300 global experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss the future of sustainable infrastructure with a particular emphasis on public-private partnerships and regulatory reforms needed in the infrastructure space. Amongst other insightful panel sessions, Yunus Centre AIT (YCA) was invited to showcase the SAR100 training program as a case example on the topic of ‘Creating Opportunities for Women in Infrastructure Space’. The panel session at NIS presented an excellent occasion for SARIC and YCA to showcase the SAR100 initiative as a successful example of how opportunities can be created for women in a dynamic and growing energy infrastructure sector and also reinforce how programs like SAR100 have the potential of shaping effective trans-national collaboration over long term.
In addition to the Summit, a SARIC alumni gathering was organized at the Australian Embassy, Kathmandu. To date, 43 infrastructure sector professionals from Nepal have been a part of SARIC funded training programs. The evening witnessed candid reflections and experience sharing by alumni regarding their professional and personal development journeys and how networking opportunities through SARIC are enabling deeper regional connections in the infrastructure sector. The alumni engagement event was also attended by Ms. Leann Johnston (Ambassador, Australian High Commission, Nepal), Mr. Greg Klemm, Ms Kavitha Kasynathan, Ms Sunita Gurung and others from the Australian Embassy, delegates from AIT and SARIC program team.
As SARIC progresses, more networking engagements are on the way! For latest updates, please visit our LinkedIn page.