Pathways to Power South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector Front Cover: Shahin Akter Parvin West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd. (Bangladesh), 2018. Back Cover: USAID and Tetra Tech (Afghanistan). Other: Yeshi Wangchuk, Tangsibji Hydro Energy Limited (Bhutan) Executive Summary The World Bank is planning to establish a regional net- conference was held in Nepal on Feb 21-22 and featured work for women practitioners in the power and energy over 250 participants, including senior management sectors in South Asia (WePOWER) to help expand op- from power utilities, female power sector professionals portunities for women in energy projects and at the and engineering students. The regional approach has al- corporate utility level. Rapid baseline assessments ready helped to improve partnerships between local or- were conducted for each of the eight countries in the ganizations. Planned activities will emphasize a holistic South Asia Region: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, approach under four key pillars underpinned by Policy India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Gender- and Institutional Change: disaggregated data were collected from over 100 power sector and academic institutions. In total, 515 female SAR WOMEN ENGINEERS and male power sector professionals and engineers contributed to the study through interviews and focus group discussions. The data confirm the very low female representation STEM RECRUITMENT DEVELOPMENT RETENTION in the power sector. Representation in utilities is low EDUCATION for women in all roles (3%-25%) and even lower for Policy and Institutional Change women in technical roles (0.1%-21%). Women tend to work in the middle- to lower-level nontechnical (i.e., administrative) positions, but an encouraging number • STEM education: Raise girls’ interest in science, of women are now in senior and leadership positions. technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects, Low female enrollment in engineering education increase female enrollment in engineering programs. (0.5%-31%) contributes to the small pool of qualified • Recruitment: Raise awareness of viable jobs/op- job candidates. The assessment participants identi- portunities in the power sector through job fairs fied the lack of role models/networking support, lim- and networking events. ited fieldwork/training opportunities, and inadequate • Development: Foster personal and professional de- facilities (i.e., separate toilets/safe transportation/ velopment opportunities, such as mentorship pro- daycare/flex-leave) as the major barriers to women’s grams, leadership training/coaching. careers in the power sector. • Retention: Support instituting family-friendly HR policies, providing reintegrating services for return- The recommendations from these assessments have ing mothers and access to facilities such as day- already informed the development of the WePOWER care services, separate toilets, and safe transpor- work program.1 WePOWER will work with local and inter- tation services. Exploring gender certification for national partners, including power sector utilities and en- utilities (i.e., EDGE) can also serve as an incentive. gineering programs, to address the gender employment • Policy and Institutional Change: This cross-cutting gap in the power sector. Although WePOWER’s initial area affects all four pillars. Work to institutionalize focus was on women engineers and technical employ- and enforce gender considerations at the national ees, the plan is to extend the network to all women em- and institutional levels will be crucial to achieving ployees in the power sector. The 1st Regional WePOWER long-term normative change. 1 For further information and updates, please visit www.wepowernetwork.org and join the WePOWER Linked group at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12139181 South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector i Acknowledgments The report benefitted greatly from the many women and men who spent their valuable time to contribute to the study. The consultants who led the fieldwork and individual country assessment are Metra Mehran (Afghanistan), Asma Huque (Bangladesh), Manju Giri (Bhutan), Soma Dutta (India), Fatimath Afiya (Maldives), Indira Shakya (Nepal), Fatimah Ihsan (Pakistan) and Anoja Wickramasinghe (Sri Lanka). Thank you also to Patricia N. Rogers (Editor), Alejandro Espinosa (Graphics Designer), Shaukat Javed (Program Assistant, and Shugufa Basij-Rasikh (Consultant). South Asia Gender and Energy team would also like to thank ESMAP and World Bank colleagues (peer reviewers) for their invaluable support: Inka Schomer (Operations Officer, ESMAP), Gitanjali Chaturvedi (Senior Social Development Specialist), Luc Lecuit (India Country Coordinator), Jaya Sharma (Senior Social Development Specialist), Tanuja Bhattacharjee (Energy Specialist), Kavita Saraswat (Senior Power Engineer), Uzma Quresh (Social Development Specialist). Bandita Sijapati (Senior Social Development Specialist), Vanessa Lopes-Janik (Consultant) and Gaia Hatzfeldt (Consultant) also provided valuable feedback. The core South Asia Gender and Energy Team consists of: Gunjan Gautam (Operations Officer), Maria Beatriz Orlando (Lead Social Development Specialist), Yukari Shibuya (Consultant), Pranav Vaidya (Consultant), Tehreem Saifey (Consultant), and Priya Chopra (Program Assistant ). The team worked under the guidance of Demetrios Papathanasiou (Practice Manager, Energy South Asia), David Seth Warren (Practice Manager, Social Development South Asia), and Robert Saum (Director, South Asia Region Partnerships). Disclaimer – Please note that the report reflects the views of the World Bank and incorporates inputs from the women and men interviewed as part of the study. The report does not necessarily reflect the views of the government of the countries covered by the study. The findings of the report would, thus, not be binding on the countries covered by the study. ii Pathways to power Table of Contents Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii Abbreviations and Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv I. About the Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Figure 1. People Interviewed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 II. Background and Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 What does the literature tell us?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Table 1. Regional Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 III. The current status of women in the power sector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Few national policies and programs address female employment in the energy sector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Female representation in power sector organizations is very low overall, and even lower among technical staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Figure 2. Women’s Representation in the South Asia Power Sector Organizations (2018). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Female enrollment rates for graduate engineering programs vary, and representation in faculty/staff is low. 10 There are no regional or national professional networks that focus on women power sector engineers . . . . . 10 Figure 3. Women’s Representation in South Asia Academic Engineering Programs (2018) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 IV. Key Takeaways from Women’s Experiences as Engineering Students and Power Sector Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Family support and role models and affinity for math and sciences are key factors in women’s pursuing STEM education and power sector careers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 In both studies and career, women are subjected to various active and passive forms of discrimination that limit their advancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The absence of basic facilities and transportation for women restricts their job and training opportunities, especially in the field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Many women have been subjected to various degrees and forms of harassment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 For all women, their double burden is an overwhelming challenge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The rigid salary/promotion structure in the public sector can serve to insulate women from discrimination . 19 Women rely on empathetic supervisors to fill gaps in national/institutional policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Men’s perspectives varied, but they were generally supportive of women in the power sector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 WePOWER is a timely and much-needed initiative. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 V. Lessons for WePOWER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 VI. Closing thoughts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector iii Abbreviations and Acronyms AF Afghanistan BH Bhutan BN Bangladesh BPC Bhutan Power Corporation BPDB Bangladesh Power Development Board CEB Ceylon Electricity Board (Sri Lanka) CST College of Science and Technology (Bhutan) DABS Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (Afghanistan national power utility) DGPC Drunk Green Power Corporation (Bhutan) EESL Energy Efficiency Services Limited (India) ESMAP Energy Sector Management Assistance Program GDP Gross domestic product IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IIT Indian Institute of Technology IN India IT Information technology JNEC Jigme Namgyel Engineering College (Bhutan) ML The Maldives MWSC Maldives Water and Sewage Company NE Nepal NEA Nepal Electricity Authority NTPC National Thermal Power Corporation, Ltd. (India) PK Pakistan RE Renewable energy SAR South Asia Region SL Sri Lanka STELCO State Electricity Company, Ltd. (Maldives) STEM Science, technology, engineering, and math WAPDA Water and Power Development Authority (Pakistan) iv Pathways to power I. About the Study The World Bank is planning to establish a regional net- The report collects data from over 100 power sector work for women practitioners in the power and energy organizations and engineering programs. In many sectors in South Asia (WePOWER) to help expand op- cases, this is the first time institutional data have portunities for women in energy projects and at the cor- been shared or broken down by sex and grade.2 The porate utility level. This professional network is designed study also interviewed 524 female and male power to help connect and build the capacity of women prac- sector professionals and engineering students (Figure titioners and promote career advancement in the power 1).3 The study covered women engineers and techni- sector. It would also promote normative change regarding cians who work in or with the power sector, includ- women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and ing in both public and private utilities. It also covered mathematics (STEM) education. Improved representa- women who were trained as power engineers but are tion of women—at all level—in the sector is key to bringing working at universities or consulting firms, graduating about a more inclusive gender environment at the project engineering students, and male professionals in the and institutional levels. This assessment served as the sector. Women from energy ministries and electricity first point of engagement for potential members of the regulatory agencies also contributed to the discus- professional network, helping to corroborate anecdotal sions. These data are by no means a complete picture evidence with limited qualitative and quantitative data. of the power sector, especially on the private sector side, but the findings can be considered a snapshot of Rapid baseline assessments were conducted for each of the current situation for engineering students and for the eight countries in the World Bank’s South Asia Region women professionals in the power sector. Overall, the (SAR): Afghanistan (AF), Bangladesh (BN), Bhutan (BH), response to the study was very positive. India (IN), the Maldives (ML), Nepal (NE), Pakistan (PK), and Sri Lanka (SL). These assessments, a first attempt to This regional report synthesizes the information gath- understand the complex and multidimensional problem ered in the eight-country assessments. It is organized of the underrepresentation of women in the SAR power into five sections. This first section explains the objec- sector, were carried out specifically to inform the design tives and scope of the study. Section II provides back- of WePOWER. Following an extensive literature review, a ground and context, including the results of the litera- conceptual framework and standardized methodology— ture review. Section III summarizes the status of women including a fieldwork guide and questionnaires—were de- in the SAR power sector today, Section IV presents the veloped for all the countries. The companion online annex findings of the primary research, and the final section and country briefs provide a more detailed overview of the presents recommendations and the way forward to methodology and country-specific information. WePOWER. 2 There is some scattered information (newspaper articles, blogs, etc.) on the gender gap in STEM (India), and features about women working in utility companies and cases of harassment; lack of equal employment opportunities for new recruits, gender-biased promotions; and communication barriers between men and women (Pakistan). See also Engendering Utilities Report by USAID: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PBAAF230.pdf. 3 The total number of respondents differ for each country due to the varying response from the individuals and utilities (or no. of women working). In India, the universities were on break so we were unable to arrange for FGDs. However, the consultants were able to speak with some students on an individual basis. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 1 Figure 1. Total People Interviewed Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan India Key informant interviews Key informant interviews Key informant interviews Key informant interviews Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male 6 5 2 3 52 7 35 3 Focus group discussions Focus group discussions Focus group discussions Focus group discussions Students Professionals Students Professionals Students Professionals Students Professionals 2 5 1 3 1 2 - 2 (11 F, 8 F cancelled (20 F) (39 F) (9 F) (29 F) (26 F) (20 F) unemployed) (4 F interviewed) TOTAL 70 TOTAL 43 TOTAL 104 TOTAL 62 Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka Key informant interviews Key informant interviews Key informant interviews Key informant interviews Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male 21 18 5 8 5 4 28 8 Focus group discussions Focus group discussions Focus group discussions Focus group discussions Students Professionals Students Professionals Students Professionals Students Professionals 2 - 2 3 4 5 1 1 cancelled (11M, 2 F) (15 F) (13 M/F) (20 F) (35 F, 13 M) (8 F) (6 F) (12 F interviewed) TOTAL 64 TOTAL 41 TOTAL 90 TOTAL 50 Note: For the number of focus group participants, F=Female, M=Male 2 Pathways to power II. Background and Context With economic growth topping 6.9 percent in 2018 and set to accelerate to 7.1 percent next year, SAR is the Box 1. Growing Opportunities in the Renewable world’s fastest-growing economic region. Access to Energy (RE) Sector energy and development of infrastructure are critical to A 2019 study by the International Renewable Energy the regional development strategy. South Asia is by no Agency (IRENA) found that women accounted for 32% of means a homogenous region. Countries’ population, size the RE workforce, a share greater than in the traditional en- of the economy, and development indicators vary great- ergy sector. For RE power and utility companies, the board ly. Social sustainability issues, including gender, play representation of women was 16%. However, even in this an important role in the region, where most countries sector, the survey found greater perceived barriers to en- rank at the lower end of human development and gen- try/advancement (75% vs. 40%) and wage equity bias (60% vs. 29%) for women compared to men. der inequality rankings (Table 1). Women’s labor force participation ranges from 19% in Afghanistan to 83% in IRENA estimates that the global RE sector could triple in Nepal (where there is a high rate of male migration for size by 2050, providing 29 million jobs, with most of the jobs abroad). According to the World Bank’s Women, growth being led by Asia. Indeed, the RE sector created 47,000 new jobs in India in 2017, and employment opportu- Business and the Law report (2018), of the economies in nities are expected to almost double by 2022. all Regions, those in SAR have the most restrictions on Source: IRENA, 2019. women regarding getting a job. Encouragingly, though, SAR is also the most improved Region, with half of the countries passing at least one reform toward improving the legal/policy framework. Indeed, all eight South Asian both in energy projects and at the corporate utility level. countries were found to have no legal/policy restrictions The reports find no systematic studies on women’s em- preventing non-pregnant and non-nursing women from ployment or systematic discussions of programs that working in the energy sector equally with men.4 help improve employment opportunities for women in power utilities. There is a distinct data gap; it is difficult to find clear and comprehensive statistics on women in What does the literature tell us? the power sector that include such granular details as a breakdown by position, department, or salary. Directly relevant literature on gender disparity in the power utilities, especially from peer-reviewed aca- It is clear that low female representation in the energy demic journals, is rare. Much of the literature is re- sector is a global issue. Women make up only 5 percent stricted to case studies and reports, such as the 2015 of executive board members at the top of 200 power Engendering Utilities Report by the United States Agency and utility companies in the world (although their rep- for International Development,5 and the World Bank’s resentation is higher in renewable energy companies).6 2018 Gender in Large Infrastructure report. Both reports Indeed, the renewable energy sector is a promising field highlight the dearth of women in the energy industry where female job participation is expected to grow (Box and stress the need to improve women’s opportunities, 1).7 Considering the scale and importance of electric 4 World Bank Group, Women, Business and the Law 2018: http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/999211524236982958/WBL-Key-Findings-Web-FINAL-2.pdf. 5 USAID, Engendering Utilities: Improving Gender Diversity in Power Sector Utilities: https://www.usaid.gov/energy/engendering-utilities. 6 Catalyst, Quick Take- Women in Energy: https://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/women-energy-gas-mining-oil. 7 IRENA, News Release: https://www.irena.org/newsroom/articles/2019/Jan/Gender-equality-for-an-inclusive-energy-transition, https://www.irena.org/newsroom/ articles/2009/Apr/Active-participation-of-women-essential-to-the-global-energy-transformation. Business World India, Article: http://www.businessworld.in/article/ Women-In-Renewable-Energy-Sector-Growth-and-Prospects/07-08-2018-156963/. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 3 Table 1. Regional Data Indicators Afghanistan Bhutan Bangladesh Pakistan Nepal India Maldives Sri Lanka Total population 35.53 0.81 164.67 197.02 28.31 1,339.18 0.44 21.44 (millions) GDP per capita 586 3,110 1,517 1,548 835 1,940 10,536 4,065 (current US$) Women’s labor force 19 58 33 25 83 27 43 35 participation (%) Women tertiary school enrollment 3.6 8.9 14 9 12.2 27 20.5 22.9 (%) UNDP Gender Inequality Index 0.653 0.476 0.542 0.541 0.48 0.524 0.343 0.354 (rank among 189 (153) (117) (134) (133) (118) (127) (76) (80) countries) UNDP Human Development 0.498 0.612 0.608 0.562 0.574 0.64 0.717 0.77 Index (rank (168) (134) (136) (150) (149) (130) (101) (76) among 189 countries) Source: World Bank Databank, UNDP. utilities in all economies, excluding women from such a There is a wealth of literature exploring gender in STEM critical (higher-paying and more productive) sector has in both academic and nonacademic settings. Most rel- potentially harmful impacts for them and for the sec- evant to WePOWER’s role is the literature on women’s tor itself.8 Persistent employment segregation by gen- networks and the impact of mentorship and role mod- der traps women in low-productivity, low-paying jobs.9 els. Some of the best hiring practices suggested to A growing body of evidence indicates that companies companies include providing coaching and mentoring with greater gender diversity outperform their peers and and forming women’s networks.12 The research shows score higher regarding employee satisfaction.10 Indeed, the importance of mentoring and using formal women’s a recent study found that the top 20 gender-diverse networks help confront the barriers presented by male power utilities outperformed the bottom 20 by a 14.8 “old-boys”-dominated informal and formal networks. percent increase in return on equity.11 Unfortunately, no South Asian utilities were part of the study. 8 See USAID, Engendering Utilities. 9 World Bank, ‘Gender Differences in Employment and Why They Matter’, in World Development Report 2012: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDR2012/ Resources/7778105-1299699968583/7786210-1315936222006/chapter-5.pdf. 10 For further information on the topic, please refer to Credit Suisse, Gender diversity and corporate performance: https://www.calstrs.com/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ csri_gender_diversity_and_corporate_performance.pdf 11 Ernst & Young, Index of women in power and utilities: https://www.ey.com/gl/en/industries/power---utilities/women-power-and-utilities. 12 Equate Scotland, Women in Engineering Employer’s Best Practice Guide: http://www.equatescotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Women-in-Engineering- Employers-Best-Practice-Guide.pdf. See also Institute of Education Sciences, Factors that Contribute to Women’s Career Development in Organizations: A Review of Literature - https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED492334.pdf. 4 Pathways to power III. The current status of women in the power sector The SAR countries’ power sectors vary greatly in size There are many engineering programs throughout the re- and number of institutions. India, in particular, has a gion, but their availability and quality vary greatly by coun- large and complex power sector, with state- and federal- try. The study identified at least 76 nationally accredited level institutions and heavy investments from private engineering programs and technical/vocational schools sector conglomerates like Tata Power. Indeed, India in the region. India, of course, is home to the world-re- alone accounts for over 87 percent of the total installed nowned Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and around capacity in the region (345,495 MW/394,140 MW).13 6,466 engineering programs offering education ranging Most countries are moving away from vertically inte- from diploma- and undergraduate-level to postgraduate grated public utilities with unbundled generation, distri- and Ph.D.-level studies. Of these, 357 institutions are for bution, and transmission companies, and toward greater women only.16 However, in the smaller countries of Bhutan involvement by the private sector/independent power and the Maldives women have limited options, especially plants. In SAR, several public utilities are not profitable, if they want to pursue M.S. or Ph.D. degrees; for advanced they have tariffs that are not cost-reflective and that rely study, most women must study abroad, either in the region on government subsidies, and the systems suffer from or farther afield. Public universities are highly competitive, high transmission and distribution losses and leakages/ with limited seats, and they can be expensive. theft. But because most of the countries have ongoing reforms to improve the governance and performance of their power sector, the situation has been improving Few national policies and programs significantly. The electricity access rate for the region address female employment in the has also improved dramatically, and there is a growing energy sector push toward more renewable sources. Thus, there is a unique opportunity for gender mainstreaming in the sec- The principle of equal rights for women and men is en- tor. The study was able to survey a total of 84 organiza- shrined in each country’s national constitution, and all the tions, which includes all the major public institutions and countries have stringent national labor and employment some prominent private sector companies — except in laws that cover women working in the power sector and, on India, where it was necessary to limit the scope of the paper, protect women from discrimination. The laws cover review because of the size and complexity of the system unbiased hiring, access to basic amenities/facilities, protec- (87 power sector utilities14 and over 6,400 accredited en- tion against sexual harassment, and access to maternity gineering programs15 ). leave and on-site day-care facilities. For example, countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh mandate workplace facilities “Working women usually cannot help their such as daycare and separate bathrooms and bed/quarters parents financially, even though they are for women. Interestingly, the Maldives Gender Equality Act earning.” (2016) includes a provision for eliminating discrimination in – Female engineer in Bangladesh job advertisements. The Indian Government has also have passed many corporate initiatives, such as the Vishaka 13 South Asia Regional Initiative for Energy Integration, Presentation: https://sari-energy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/1.Overview-of-SARI-EI-Innaugural-New-Logo-vkk. pdf. 14 World Bank Indian Power Sector Review: https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/dataset/india-power-sector-review. 15 AICTE, India Approved Institutes: http://www.facilities.aicte-india.org/dashboard/pages/dashboardaicte.php. 16 AICTE 2017-18 data: http://www.facilities.aicte-india.org/dashboard/pages/dashboardaicte.php. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 5 Box 2. Pakistan’s 2012 Federal Wedlock Policy Box 3. Bhutan’s Maternity/ Paternity Leave and Breastfeeding Policy The Wedlock Policy encourages posting with the spouse to help women keep both their jobs and their marriages Since March 1, 2016, women working under the Royal intact. Utilities also try to station unmarried women in the Government of Bhutan enjoy 6 months of paid maternity same city as their parents. For example, the Water and leave, and men receive 10 days of paid paternity leave. Power Development Authority (WAPDA) recently granted To facilitate breastfeeding, a mother with a baby up to 24 transfers to two female engineers working at a power months of age is allowed to take a two-hour lunch break. plant: one transferred to her hometown to look after her ailing parents, and the other transferred to be close to her Bhutan is also the only economy in South Asia to provide spouse. the incentive of tax-deductible child care payments. Guidelines mandating an Internal Complaints Committee to Maternity leave policies and benefits vary greatly. address Sexual Harassment at the workplace, the newly re- Bangladesh, Bhutan (see Box 3), and India offer around formed Maternity Benefits Bill and the Parental Leave policy. six months of paid maternity leave; Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, In Pakistan, flexible policies for hiring women have been well and Pakistan offer around three months; and the Maldives implemented in the energy sector (Box 2). All the countries offers only 60 days (less than two months). Nepal up- except Bhutan17 and Pakistan18 have full-fledged Women dated its Labor Act in 2017, improving maternity benefits Ministries and National Women’s Commissions that are re- from 52 days to 98 days and introducing paid paternity sponsible for protecting and promoting the interests of wom- leave—15 days.20 None of the countries requires a guar- en and for investigating grievances submitted by women. antee that on returning from maternity leave women will have the same position or will be able to benefit from any Most countries have instituted quotas for women in impending promotions. their civil services, but it is unclear how this has trans- lated to actual implementation at the public sector pow- All the countries have clear policy goals to improve er utilities. Afghanistan, which has a high proportion of women’s participation in the labor force, although not all women in the civil service, plans to increase the percent- specify promoting women in STEM or technical fields. age of female civil servants to 30 percent by 2020. Nepal Bangladesh has a National Strategy for Promoting Gender also has a policy to reserve 45 percent of civil service Equality with the explicit aim of increasing female partici- jobs for women and minority ethnic groups. Bangladesh, pation in technical and vocational education and training. India, and Pakistan require that women be hired for 10 The strategy outlines a strategic framework and objec- percent of civil service positions, and have even higher tives, with a clear set of priorities and targets. Objectives state-level government quotas.19 However, the policies include increasing female enrollment by at least 25 percent do not include any further requirements such as grade and transforming mindsets and attitudes to eliminate neg- or job types (administrative vs. technical), and no clear ative perceptions of “nontraditional skills” for women. In guidance is provided to the institutions on how to achieve India, the National/Regional Vocational Training Institutes this target in practice. Only Da Afghanistan Breshna for Women are set up as exclusively female institutes Sherkat (DABS), the national power utility in Afghanistan, that provide facilities for structured, long-term regular, ad- was found to have instituted a specific recruitment pro- vanced-skill, and post-advanced training. Also, a network cess aimed at women (described in Box 11). It must be of institutes under both central and state governments has noted, however, that the existence of national laws, poli- been set up to stimulate employment opportunities among cies, and strategies does not guarantee enforcement. women of various socioeconomic levels and age groups. 17 Bhutan does have a National Commission for Women and Children. 18 In Pakistan, the Ministry of Human rights has been mandated to work on women’s issues with implementation being decentralized to the provincial level in 2011. 19 At the state level in India, Maharashtra has established a 30 percent quota for women in the state government institutions. In Pakistan, all provinces have their respective quotas on women’s employment in the public sector (Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 20%, Punjab 15% and Sindh 15 %). 20 The new law also removes restrictions for the times women can work (from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.), allowing them to work at any hour as long as they are provided transportation before sunrise or after sunset. See Nepal Economic Forum: https://nepaleconomicforum.org/neftake/nepal-labor-act-2074/. 6 Pathways to power overarching agenda to improve women’s (or men’s) eco- Box 4. Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) - nomic participation in the sector. The gender consider- Push to Improve Female Enrollment ations in energy primarily focus on improving women’s access to clean cooking, using renewable energy, and To improve female enrollment to 20 percent by 2020, the improving energy efficiency at the household level. IITs are taking such measures as the following: There is a clear opportunity that has not been leveraged • Interactive sessions with qualified girls and parents. to use energy sector development to help ensure gender • Targeted advertisements to parents to enroll their daugh- equality by overcoming the stereotyped division of pro- ters, highlighting better results and safe environment. fessional opportunities in utilities. • Exempting girls from paying tuition fees. • Welcome packet for admitted girls. • An online “female helpdesk” and a dedicated page on a social networking site to connect female student men- Female representation in power sector tors and teachers. organizations is very low overall, and • Almost all the IITs have a women’s cell or forum for re- even lower among technical staff dress of complaints of sexual harassment. These efforts have resulted in a jump in enrollment rates to The share of women working in the 35 surveyed insti- 15.42 percent in 2018 from under 10 percent in the previ- tutions ranges from 3 percent to 25 percent, and the ous 5 years. share of women engineers and technicians21 is even lower – less than 1 percent and 21 percent. The study India has several national initiatives to improve the par- was also able to collect gender-disaggregated data from ticipation of girls and women in STEM education at all an additional 18 power sector organizations, ranging stages. In line with India’s 2013 Science Policy, which from utilities to energy ministries. The HR departments specifically requires empowering women scientists, the of utilities in the Maldives, Bangladesh, and Pakistan Ministry of Human Resource Development has instituted provided a detailed breakdown of employees in techni- a national mandate to achieve 20 percent female enroll- cal and nontechnical positions. Some utilities provided ment in engineering by 2020. As a result, the IIT has taken an additionally detailed breakdown by grade and posi- various measures to increase women’s applications to its tion level. Unfortunately, many utilities do not routinely campuses (Box 4). Other national initiatives include the maintain sex-disaggregated data, and the figures had to 2002 Women Scientists’ Scheme, which supports women be compiled from their database manually. There was returning to their careers after a family break; the 2014 not enough information from private utilities to draw any Udaan campaign, which supports STEM mentoring and significant distinctions or conclusions. The data pro- tutoring support for qualified girls; the 2018 Vigyan Jyoti vided do not account for women who may be trained as program, which provides scholarships and STEM summer engineers but are working in nontechnical positions--for camps and supports visits to tech institutions to learn example, in human resources or finance. first-hand about career prospects; and Mahila Samakhya: Education for Women’s Equality, which provides post- For Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Pakistan, the as- doctoral fellowships. The study did not identify any other sessments have almost complete coverage of women proactive national policies or strategies in SAR to improve working in the power sector (there are not many). In women’s participation in STEM education. each country, the scope of the inquiry reflects the size and complexity of the power sector and the population In all SAR countries, providing equal opportunities for of the country. For example, in the Maldives, there are 11 women is considered part of a national commitment female engineers in the three public utilities, while India to gender equality, but it is not endorsed in the energy has 87 power utilities spanning 29 states, so the scope sector policy. Energy sector policies do not have any of the study had to be limited from the start. 21 Utilities provided gender-disaggregated data split by technical employees (including engineers and electricians working in distribution/transmission/generation sections) and nontechnical employees (working in management, legal, human-resources, and administrative positions). Some utilities also provided separate counts for engineers (specified in text). South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 7 • In Afghanistan, there are 14 (21%) women engi- It is unclear what the breakdown is between tech- neers (out of 68 total engineers) working at the na- nical and nontechnical women staff, but it is likely tional power utility DABS. Overall, the representa- skewed toward nontechnical staff. tion of women in the utility is only 3 percent (281 • In the Maldives, women hold only 4 out of 1,661 women out of a total of 9,367 staff). In addition, (0.24%) total technical positions at the two pow- an additional 68 women engineers (accounting for er utilities, State Electricity Co. Ltd. (STELCO) and 16 percent of total engineering staff) work in the Fenaka Co. Ltd. In total, 11 women engineers are Ministry of Energy and Water, the Ministry of Rural working in the country’s three public utilities, which Rehabilitation and Development, and the Ministry also includes Maldives Water and Sewage Co. of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, although (MWSC). Encouragingly, women account for 635 out not all the women work in the power/energy sec- of 4,307 (15%) total staff, at the three public utilities. tor at the latter two ministries. In total, women • In Nepal, 351 out of 5,664 technical staff (6.2%) at account for 8 percent of total staff at the three the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) are women. ministries. Women account for 1,123 out of 8,884 (12.6%) of • In Bangladesh, six power sector utilities provided total staff. The highest position held by a woman is a breakdown of male/female engineers and techni- that of Deputy Director. cians. Overall, only 304 out of 5,006 technical staff • Pakistan’s utilities provided a very positive re- (6%) are women, and 80 percent of them are in as- sponse. The Water and Power Development sistant (34%) or sub-assistant (46%) positions. In Authority (WAPDA), which employs 18,192 peo- 13 surveyed power sector organizations, only 16 ple, has 1,003 female staff (5.5%). Of the 1,152 out of 276 (6%) total board members are female. technical staff in the organization, only 40 (3.5%) Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has are women. National Transmission Development the highest representation of women with 1,500 out Corporation (NTDC) also shared data showing that of 16,040 total staff (9%) and 217 out of 2,455 tech- 4 percent of its employees are women (371/8,939). nical staff (9%). Encouragingly, a majority of the women are of- • In Bhutan, aggregate data from four power sector ficer level and technical staff (grade 17 and up), institutions find a relatively high 894 women out of representing 16 percent (189/1,181) of all staff at total 4,103 staff (22%). In total, women hold 414 those levels. Karachi Electric has 329 women out of the 2,510 technical positions (16.5%). Many of of 10,755 total staff (3%), of whom 87 were iden- the women are working in mid to senior level posi- tified as engineers. The situation in two indepen- tions as chief engineers, senior managers, and se- dent power plants surveyed is mixed: Hub Power nior engineers. In Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC), Company has 6 percent women staff (37/599) and there are a total of 443 (19%) women working at only 1 percent technical female staff (3/238), while the utility, with 229 (14%) women working in tech- Nishat Chunian Power Ltd. has 10 percent total nical positions. Similarly, at the Druk Green Power women staff (27/254) and 2 percent female tech- Corporation (DGPC), there are a total of 417 (25%) nical staff (5/224). women working at the company, of which 112 • In Sri Lanka, women account for 3,280 out of (20%) are working in technical positions. 25,727 (13%) of total staff at the Ceylon Electricity • In India, we were not able to obtain a detailed gen- Board (CEB). Overall, 147 of the 989 (15%) of engi- der breakdown. However, data collected from 11 neers are women. Encouragingly, 537 out of 3,131 power sector organizations 4,225 women out of (17%) of positions at the management and execu- a total of 52,008 staff (8.1%) as of 2018. Looking tive levels are held by women. at just the power utilities, North Eastern Power Corporation Ltd. employs 15.2 percent women It was encouraging to find women in senior and leader- (351/2,308). National Thermal Power Corporation ship positions in energy ministries and public utilities. (NTPC) and Power Grid Corporation had the lowest share, with 6.31 percent (1,300/20,593) and 6.7 per- • In Bhutan, at the BPC there are 34 (15.5%) women cent (598/8,887) female employment, respectively. holding senior or managerial levels positions out of 8 Pathways to power Figure 2. Women’s Representation in the South Asia Power Sector Organizations (2018) Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan India 21% Technical women: 14 6% Technical women: 304 16.5% Technical women: 414 * 8% female staff in 10 power Technical staff: 68 Technical staff: 5,006 Technical staff: 2,510 sector organizations Total women: 4,106 3% Women’s representation by grade: 21.7% Total staff: 51,198 Total women: 281 8% mid assistant female Total women: 894 Total staff: 9,367 8% senior positions female Total staff: 4,103 9% women in leadership Utilities covered: 1 (DABS) 5% junior female Utilities covered: 4 positions such as director and chief engineer 10% Total women: 53 Total women: 2,273 Total staff: 580 Total staff: 22,919 Utilities covered: 18 Utilities covered: 6 Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka 0.24% Technical women: 4 6.2% Technical women: 351 4.6% Technical women: 386 15% Technical women: 147 Technical staff: 1,661 Technical staff: 5,664 Technical staff: 8,437 Technical staff: 989 for 2 power utilities 15% 12.6% 3.6% 13% female staff in Total women: 1,123 Total women: 2,226 Total women: 3,280 3 public utilities Total staff: 8,884 Total staff: 61,993 Total staff: 25,727 Total women: 663 Utilities covered: 1 (NEA) Utilities covered: 8 Utilities covered: 1 (CEB) Total staff: 4,350 Utilities covered: 3 Source: Data provided by HR in power sector organizations. 220 total, which includes department and division Company, around 16 percent of the positions at the heads. At DGPC, women account for 27 percent senior decision-making level are held by females. (171/641) of staff in the executive (2) or manageri- • In India, a survey of 18 power sector organizations al/supervisory grade levels. Two out of seven board found that 9 percent (53/580) of leadership posi- of directors are women. Similarly, in the power sec- tions such as director and chief engineer are held tor related departments at the Bhutan Ministry of by women. Likewise, the recent Energy Efficiency Economic Affairs, three out of the six technical de- Services Limited (EESL) internal gender baseline partment heads are women. Two of the women assessment found that women accounted for 13 are chief engineers in the transmission and hydro- percent (73/566) of executive roles, 8.7 percent power divisions. At the Bhutan Electricity Authority (6/69) in supervisory roles, and 22 percent (40/175) (BEA), two women are chiefs of the Monitoring and of workman roles which included technicians and Tariff divisions. office attendants. • In Sri Lanka, 7 of 16 senior-level positions (44%) in • In the Maldives, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Energy are filled by women; in the Energy (now renamed Ministry of Environment) has CEB, 33 percent (3/9) are acting general manag- 32 directors, 10 of whom are female: one deputy ers in corporate strategy, generation, and distribu- director-general, two directors, one deputy director, tion divisions, but only 6 percent (5/77) are working and seven assistant directors. In MWSC, three out as deputy general managers; and in Lanka Electric of the six (50%) board of directors are women. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 9 However, most women tend to work in the middle- to departments. Afghanistan’s Kabul University has no lower-level positions. For example, in Bangladesh, women faculty in the engineering department. In Bhutan, women are underrepresented in classes I and II (of- JNEC has 3/19 women lecturers/instructors/techni- ficer levels) and overrepresented in classes III and IV. cians in the civil engineering department, 3/12 women in In WAPDA, 39 percent of women staff are in the low- the electrical engineering department, and 1/11 women est quintile grade levels, 16-20 – at officer level or be- in mechanical engineering. Similarly, at Bhutan’s College low. Similarly, Nepal’s NEA has less than 0.5 percent of of Science and Technology (CST), the electrical engi- women are in the top-third grade levels (4 out of 1,105 neering department has no female lecturers/instructors. total, and 2 out of 748 technical), while over 86 percent Clearly, the teaching body in energy-related departments of women (of whom 80 percent are technical) are at or is overwhelmingly male-dominated. lower than grade 5 out of 12. Civil engineering is a popular concentration for women. This is especially relevant for hydro-dependent energy Female enrollment rates for graduate sectors, such as those in Bhutan and Nepal, because civil engineering programs vary, and engineers are important in the design and construction representation in faculty/staff is low of dams and reservoirs. Indeed, in Bhutan, the available data show that 21 of the 38 women receiving Department Female enrollment rates for graduate programs in elec- of Adult and Higher Education scholarships for engineer- trical, mechanical, and power systems engineering ing were studying civil engineering. In Nepal, the cumu- range from 0 to 30 percent—rates that are comparable to lative data for women engineers registered in the Nepal those in western countries such as the United States of Engineering Council between 2001 and 2017 show that America.22 Bhutan’s Jigme Namgyel Engineering College over 55 percent (1,461/2,646) are civil engineers.24 This (JNEC) has 321 female students (30%) studying relevant representation is similar to that at NEA, where 6/13 wom- engineering degrees (2013-2018); of all students study- en interviewed for the study were civil engineers. ing power systems engineering (2015-2018 cohorts), 27 (25%) are women. Similarly, the B.S. in electrical engi- neering rates for women in India (national) is at an en- There are no regional or national couraging 28 percent. Pakistan, Sri-Lanka and Nepal are professional networks that focus on not too far behind, at 21 to 23 percent of women in the women power sector engineers surveyed institutions. Bangladesh (12%), Afghanistan (3%), and especially the Maldives (0%) are the three lag- Most women belong to either university alumni asso- ging countries. Unfortunately, data on graduation rates ciations or engineering societies such as the Institute and jobs could not be obtained. Overall, female enroll- of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The as- ment in STEM-related subjects remains low. For exam- sessment also discovered a few informal networks at ple, in Bhutan, only 142 out of 916 girls (15.5%) pursued the organizational level, with 10-20 women – mainly STEM-related degrees; a majority chose arts and hu- WhatsApp groups—but these were not very active. In manities (448) and business/management (283). Of the total, the scoping exercise identified six active power-/ 300 students pursuing engineering-related degrees, only energy-specific organizations, of which the most promi- 76 are females (25%).23 nent are described below. The data from seven IIT campuses and six public • Women in Energy, Pakistan.25 WIE was estab- universities in Bangladesh show 6-13 percent female lished through a partnership between the Energy faculties in the electrical and mechanical engineering Department, Government of Punjab, and the Punjab 22 Brookings Institute, Breaking the STEM Ceiling for Girls: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2017/03/07/breaking-the-stem-ceiling-for-girls/. 23 Bhutan Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, Beyond Graduation Survey 2017 : http://www.molhr.gov.bt/molhr/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BGS-Report-2017.pdf. 24 Civil engineering – 1,461, electrical engineering – 142, electrical and electronics – 151, electronics & communication engineering – 804, electronics – 18, mechanical engineering – 69. 25 Women in Energy Pakistan: http://www.womeninenergy.org.pk/. 10 Pathways to power Figure 3. Women’s Representation in South Asia Academic Engineering Programs (2018) AL: 1,688 AL: 1,038 TAL: 10,208 AL: 1,547 TOT TOT TO TOT Afghanistan Bhutan Bangladesh Pakistan 3.1% 31% 12% 23% Academic institutions Academic institutions Academic institutions Academic institutions covered: 1 (JNEC) covered: 9 covered: 11 covered: 5 WOM 1 WOM 1 WOMEN: 53 EN: 32 WOMEN: 1,210 EN: 36 Female engineering faculty: Female engineering faculty: Female engineering faculty: Female engineering faculty: 0% 17% (7/42) 15% (203/1,376) 15% (30/192) TAL: 21,258 TAL: 11,942 IN CE - 3 AL: 6,616 TO TO : 41 0I TOT AL N Nepal India Maldives Sri Lanka T TO EE 21% 15.4% 0% 22% Academic institutions Academic institutions Academic institutions Academic institutions covered: 5 covered: 23 (IITs) covered: 2 covered: 6 WO 0 WO 9 M E N: 4,4 5 M E N: 1,4 3 WOMEN: 1,841 WOMEN: 3 IN CE 0 IN EE Female engineering faculty: Female engineering faculty: Female engineering faculty: Female engineering faculty: 4% (3/68) 6% (11 IIT - 36/326) 0% 21% (27/126) National 2018 - 1.15/4.019 million (28%) female B.S. engineering Note: Includes electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, power systems engineering and civil engineering programs. Faculty count includes visiting lecturers, teaching assistants and technical support staff. Commission on the Status of Women and its • Gender and Energy Network, Bangladesh. GEN- Women in Leadership project. WIE’s agenda for Bangladesh is an informal network of profession- 2018-19 includes hosting quarterly events such al women, men, and organizations engaged in as power networking lunches and workshops, cu- promoting gender awareness activities in the en- rating mentorships, and lobbying with Women in ergy sector since 2004. The network is hosted by Leadership for women to be placed on the boards Prokaushali Sangsad Ltd. of public utilities. • Women in Energy—India.26 This is a web-based net- • IEEE – Power in Energy Society - Women in Power working platform for women working in the energy (PES-WIP) and Women in Engineering (WIE) sector. The website hosts blogs/news/events and branches active in universities throughout the re- posts job opportunities for members. gion. Some of their activities include: • National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) • IEEE Women in Power group, Bangladesh University WINCORP, India. Women working in NTPC had set up of Engineering and Technology. Organized the IEEE WINCORP (Women in NTPC Corporate sector), an in- Region 10 (Asia Pacific) Humanitarian Technology formal WhatsApp-based group that shared informa- Conference, December 2017, at the University. tion on office news, policies, and job opportunities. • IEEE North South University, Power and Energy Although many members found the group useful, it Society Student Chapter. Organized a mega-event, did not continue for very long. The women explained “POWERBUZZ,” February 2018, at the University. that since the group was not institutionalized in the • IEEE Power and Energy Society Day 2018 was organization, the women who started the initiative celebrated on April 28 at the University of Asia because of their interest could not continue to give it Pacific by the Women in Power group. the time and effort it needed to thrive and grow. 26 Women in Energy India: https://www.wei.org.in/, https://www.facebook.com/wei.org.in/. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 11 IV. Key Takeaways from Women’s Experiences as Engineering Students and Power Sector Professionals This section gives an overview of the key messages had a good (31%) representation in engineering pro- and takeaways drawn from the desk review and pri- grams, only 15.5 percent choose STEM-related bachelor mary research. Over 500 women and men from over 50 programs. A majority of women still choose arts and hu- power sector and academic organizations in the eight manities (50%) and business/management (30%).27 countries contributed to the study. The study highlight- ed the importance of family support and role models as When girls do choose science (and mathematics), they key enablers for girls to pursue STEM-related subjects. are likely to be advised to get into a career path like However, the lack of practical training opportunities, the teaching rather than engineering. Engineering is widely absence of basic facilities and supportive policies, and considered to be a “man’s job,” since if a boy becomes the double burden of home and work responsibilities an engineer, his ability to be a breadwinner is secured; some of the key barriers affecting women’s academic for girls, however, being able to be a breadwinner is not and professional experiences. Many of the exceptional considered necessary, because they are seen as having a women interviewed who “make it” have a deep love larger role to play in family life than in a workforce. Most for science/mathematics subjects which pushes them of the women in the study told about friends or acquain- forward. tances in the same stream (during schooling years) who were dissuaded by parents from pursuing engineering studies. In Nepal, however, the decision of school friends Family support and role models and was also seen as a major reason for choosing engineer- affinity for math and sciences are key ing, as respondents felt that friends would help one an- factors in women’s pursuing STEM other in the new environment. In Bhutan, female students education and power sector careers freely interacted with male classmates and teachers and were frequently the top students in the class. In contrast, Many women had educated parents or relatives who in Afghanistan, because of strict social norms and low encouraged them to pursue engineering because of the numbers, it is difficult for female students to form study prestige and career prospects the field offers. However, groups and get support from male fellow students. these women also faced bias from other parts of the family to choose more “appropriate” career paths. The Females’ choices are limited by the availability of nearby limited number of acceptable or realistic “good” career engineering programs and by the quality of education of- options may limit engineering as a choice for some fered (see Box 5). Although this issue also affects males, women. For example, even in Bhutan, where women they are generally freer to travel elsewhere to study and were more aware of power sector jobs because of the are more likely to get practical fieldwork opportunities. visible national hydropower development initiatives and Indeed, both women and men in all countries complained 27 See Bhutan Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, Beyond Graduation Survey 2017. 12 Pathways to power that excessive focus on theoretical aspects and lack of practical training left them ill-prepared for their jobs. Box 5. Engineering: A Real Choice? An interesting discussion among participants was wheth- Two engineering students shared their er joining engineering is really a choice. For example, in experience of having asked a male student Pakistan, at the intermediate science level, students have for help with solving a formula. The boy was to choose between pre-medical and pre-engineering for willing to help, but he asked the girl to join their future course of study. Those who do not like biology him in the main library. He explained, “If we choose engineering because it is the only way for them to sit together in our department’s library and remain in science. work together, people may take it wrong Thus, the decision at this crucial level is not much of a free and discuss us. Therefore, we can meet in the choice for those who want to have a broader science pal- main library where no one will recognize us.” ette to select from. The choice of academic field is also influenced by sociocultural factors. Female students are - Female students in Afghanistan often encouraged to join “softer” fields that lead to cultur- ally acceptable jobs; however, this factor is slowly chang- • In Afghanistan, women attend only universities like ing, as the findings in this report demonstrate. Kabul University, which have dorms and facilities for women. The percentage of female students de- Most of the girls were top students in their class and clines to zero in some of the universities in provinc- had scholarships for B.S. studies. es where they do not have such facilities. Some 80 • In Nepal, the wide campus layout and general safe- percent of the existing hostels are for men. All the ty concerns limited the ability of female students to big universities are located only in five or six large take advantages of resources on campus such as provinces, and families do not send their daughters IT or the library, especially during after-class hours. if they are not sure about their safety. The lack of modern facilities also meant that stu- • In India, the perceived safety and availability of near- dents relied on their personal computers and inter- by programs is a big consideration in parents’ ap- net connections from home. proval. Most Indian parents do not want to send girls • In the Maldives, none of the educational programs to far-off places to study engineering. Some women has modules on energy- or power-sector-specif- said they had to settle for colleges within their state ic issues or renewable energy. Currently, the high- that were not very good/high ranking, or for a differ- est qualification in the energy and power sector is ent branch in a nearby engineering college. provided by the Maldives Polytechnic, a government • In Bhutan, the growth of the energy sector and hydro- training institute; students can pursue the electri- power has meant that good jobs are available; there- cian program up to the advanced level, but there is fore, over the past decade, an increasing number of no further education in the sector. Many students women have joined graduate engineering programs felt unprepared for coursework from their formal ed- to prepare for such jobs. From 2009 to 2011, female ucation; indeed, of the 25 students that joined the graduates with diplomas/bachelors from JNEC and electronics and electric program, only 6 remained CST increased from 22 percent to 44 percent and 53 toward the end of the program. percent respectively.28 JNEC started its first B.E. pro- gram in power engineering in 2015 and inaugurated “There is a lack of academic programs for its bachelor of science (B.S.) program in mechani- studying engineering in the Maldives, and the cal engineering in 2018. The sole master’s-level engi- absence of practical hands-on training does neering program offered in Bhutan is CST’s master of not prepare you for the job. No adequate science in engineering (M.S.E.) in renewable energy. career information and guidance are given.” Consequently, most of the women in the study had - Female assistant engineer in the Maldives pursued further studies abroad, in India or Australia. 28 Asian Development Bank, Bhutan: Gender equality diagnostic of selected sectors, 2014: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional-document/149350/gender- equality-diagnostic-bhutan.pdf South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 13 “Our hostel gates close at 8 pm, where is Box 6. Life on Campus for Girls the possibility to work on joint projects with boys? I felt caged and not trusted.” In India, three of the top concerns for students were physi- - Female engineering student in India who cal safety (70%), an overprotective/strict atmosphere for girls (40%) but not for men, and inadequate amenities recently graduated (35%). There was a common narrative—that there are dif- ferent sets of rules/norms for boys and girls. Rather than improving their safety and raising awareness among the In both studies and career, women boys, the strict hostel curfew timings and enforcing sepa- are subjected to various active and ration between the boys and girls made life constricting for girls who felt “caged”. passive forms of discrimination that limit their advancement Surprisingly, the cost of education was not raised as a The women frequently expressed frustration at not be- concern for many of the students pursuing engineering ing taken seriously and at having to work extra hard to degrees. Most of the girls were high-achieving students prove that they belong. Some of the students noted that who were at the top of their class and had scholarships when female students select engineering, they are often or were already working. In Bhutan between 2013 and questioned and criticized for doing so. “This is a man’s 2018, 36 percent (26/72) of electrical and mechanical field; what will a girl do in engineering?” was a common engineering students who received country scholarships statement from parents and other elders in most coun- were female. Only in the Maldives did lack of financial tries. At times the girl’s character was called into ques- support come up as a crucial barrier. For example, a tion, especially when she returned late from classes. female assistant engineer had found it difficult to raise funds for a good university with the necessary facili- One respondent shared that when she first ties and a focus on power engineering studies. Women entered the classroom her male teacher who wish to go on to further studies need to go abroad, looked at the male students and remarked, to Malaysia or Sri Lanka, and without finances, this is “Look, they have also come.” She went on not possible. However, stringent financial requirements to say that he would demotivate the female make it very difficult for students to qualify for a loan.29 students by making comments about washing As one woman explained, “If a female had bought a dishes later in their life as a wife and asking, washing machine on loan, the increased liabilities would “Why are you girls studying engineering?” make her ineligible for a study loan.” - Female engineering student in Pakistan Safety, facilities, and campus life concern many stu- • In Bangladesh, many women shared their experi- dents (see Box 6). Most public universities offer sepa- ences of job-hunting when advertisements were rate hostel facilities for boys and girls. In private univer- geared toward hiring males. sities, campus housing may not be offered. However, if • In India, recruitment policies encourage women to ap- the location allows, the preference is for girls to stay at ply. However, at the time of job interviews, it is not un- home with their parents for safety and financial reasons. common to be asked questions like: “Would you be In Nepal and Pakistan, female students felt the campus willing to stand out in the sun?” “Would you be willing design left them exposed and, for the sake of safety, to take a transferable job?” and “How will you manage they would take a longer route just to go from one class when you have a child?” Of the women engineers in- to the next. In Bhutan, no such issues were raised. CST terviewed in India, 76 percent said that once in the job, provides excellent facilities that cater to both women in spite of their competence, they “have to prove again and men in their hostels. and again that they are just as good as the men at their 29 Student loans are now available from the Government (dhe.gov.mv, 2018) and Bank of Maldives (BML, 2018). For a BML loan, a security of 150% of the loan amount is required. The information a student needs to provide in applying for a loan includes liabilities with other institutions, employment, income and expenditure, and equity investment details. This would be out of the reach of young females just starting their education. 14 Pathways to power work.” There seems to be an inherent feeling among in the power plants or transmission/distribution male colleagues that women are not “as serious” as sections. Sometimes women are not allowed to they are about their work. However, although the feel- take difficult and risky positions and are not given ing of male dominance persists in the workplace; both the opportunity for training in those areas. the junior and senior engineers who were interviewed • In Pakistan, men consider that working at hot ther- agreed that the overall situation has improved. mal power plants is too taxing for women, compared to working in a hydropower plant. Irregular shifts and Because supervisors frequently restrict women from remote locations may mean a long daily commute working in certain “inappropriate” non-office-based or staying at the power plant, which women do not jobs, women in the power sector are not equally rep- favor since there are no live-in facilities for women. resented in all departments/job types. Technical field In Karachi Electric, there are no women in the trans- operations, high-voltage line operations, and field main- mission department or in meter-reading activities tenance (which can involve staying in campsites in tents that require direct dealing with the public because for days and climbing electric poles and towers) remain of safety concerns—having to face potentially an- overwhelmingly dominated by men, and women remain gry customers who are dissatisfied with power cuts. more in administration and secretarial positions.30 It is A male senior manager also identified sociocul- important to note that women also showed a preference tural factors as hindering women’s participation in for less tasking jobs that are close to home—but that is a the transmission department—for example, women function of societal pressures, responsibilities at home, feeling shy about wearing the body-hugging safety and safety concerns, rather than ability or preference. overalls the job requires and about being in the pub- lic eye while climbing transmission towers. “Women should ask for and be given field postings in the initial years. This is good for “When I first started working in the power our careers.” - A senior woman director, India sector, I found it very difficult to earn - Senior woman director in India the respect of customers. My technical comments or opinions were disregarded, • In Afghanistan, when there is a job outside the of- not by colleagues, but by some of the fice, men are directly hired, and women are rarely if members of the public. Sometimes when at all, consulted: “They decide for us without asking I carried out wiring or automation jobs if that is what we want.” All the female participants on my own, the customer would not take in the sector work behind a desk, often in design, my opinion, but when I brought in a male management, secretarial, or administrative roles. colleague who had no technical knowledge For instance, in DABS, the country’s electricity util- and asked him to say the same thing, it ity, only 14 women are working in technical posi- was accepted (by the customer).” tions that deal directly with electric technical mat- - Female assistant engineer in the Maldives ters—and they are all in the Breshna headquarters office and work in areas such as policy analysis or • In Sri Lanka, women with less experience in the in- the design of networks and stations. dustry (all with less than 8-10 years of experience) • In Bangladesh, the women engineers usually do not were more interested in doing field-based work, want to engage in field-level work such as plant op- which is seen as less suitable for women. At the erations and maintenance, in which night shift work field level, most of the technical tasks are assigned is expected. Work in the planning section and of- to technically trained males simply because of con- fice-based technical work is considered to be more cern about women’s safety. However, the women suitable for women with the required educational noted that there are no prohibitions against their background, although women can choose to work working in all power engineering jobs. 30 Source: Interviews conducted as part of the primary research. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 15 The absence of basic facilities and Box 7. Gender Initiatives at WAPDA in Pakistan transportation for women restricts their job and training opportunities, WAPDA is the only utility in Pakistan that has a gender especially in the field expert (grade 18). After the expert’s arrival, separate bathrooms for women were installed. Women engineers The gender-friendly design of buildings and facilities were encouraged to visit remote sites—such as Gilgit Baltistan and Tarbela and Mangla dams—to get hands-on matters. Many women said that amenities for experience. women—separate toilets, feeding rooms, and resting rooms—were either nonexistent or of poor quality Facilities have been provided for some of the women in the and lacking maintenance, especially in the plant field. In Pakistan, for Ghazi Barotha Hydroelectric Plant, women were provided with separate living space and locations. Women’s most common complaint was house help. The Government has flexible policies for wom- about workplaces that lacked proper toilets that are en, such as the Wedlock Policy, which encourages posting functional and sanitary, are located in suitable places with the spouse so that women are not forced to choose and provide reasonable privacy. Women also say that between their jobs and marriages. Similarly, WAPDA tries when they have to work after office hours, management to station single women in the same city as their parents. should provide transportation to ensure their security. The availability of child daycare was also inconsistent; field positions and benefiting from practical training/ most plants do not offer it. internship opportunities because of the concerns about “safety” and facilities such as toilets. In the Maldives “I had to use the men’s toilet at a remote and Bangladesh, women noted that energy shortages site. I requested a male colleague to stand and lack of redundancy/alternative measures in the sys- outside (the toilet).” tem had left very little room for maintenance error, con- - Female engineer posted at a power plant tributing further to limit opportunities for women, who may be considered less capable. Only in Bhutan did the • In Bangladesh, at times women cannot participate women say that the selection for training in their offices in field training, especially in remote areas, because was based solely on whoever qualified for it. no suitable quarters are available for them. • In the Maldives, none of the utilities or Government • In Afghanistan, language barriers and access to ministries has day-care facilities. Day-care facilities technology are the greatest obstacles women iden- are becoming more common in the Maldives, al- tify in their careers. To succeed in jobs, workers though finding suitable premises in the congested need to keep their technology skills up to date, at- capital is daunting. tend training, and read more about recent develop- • In Nepal, especially in NEA, the female staff appre- ments in their fields. Unfortunately, training benefi- ciated being given a choice to do fieldwork. They ciaries need to know English, and a large percentage opined that fieldwork was necessary to build their ca- of women participants are not fluent in English. Dari reers; however, the lack of facilities at the sites—lodg- and Pashto, not English, are taught at school, and ing, food facilities, and toilets—was a major deterrent. women cannot afford the cost of English classes or the time to attend them, because of their home com- A common challenge mentioned in the discussions was mitments; one woman laughed and said, “Who will the lack of hands-on experience and practical training cook the dinner if I go to English class after work?” opportunities for women engineers. Even for staff who • In Bangladesh, women get less preference for over- have had excellent studies and training, many jobs in seas or local training and paid study leave, as well the energy sector require a lot of hands-on experience as for field inspections, site visits, and so on—ei- and know-how that can only be gained over time and ther because such assignments might be consid- through mentorship/on-the-job learning from senior em- ered difficult or risky or because women require ployees—but such employees may or may not be willing “extra” facilities (transport, rest houses, security to take a woman under their wing. Also, women are ac- measures). Thus, women cannot gain the practical tively and passively restricted from taking technical and knowledge they need to compete with men. 16 Pathways to power “My husband and I were engineering of the assessments, although there were indirect hints, classmates at the university and we both only in Pakistan did the women openly recount their work in the power sector now. I was the experiences. For many, this was the first time they had top student in the class. However, after shared these experiences with anyone. Despite the strict graduation, my husband got the chance national laws, the absence of an effective complaint to work in field-based positions and do mechanism was raised as a common issue.31 practical work in power plants and stations. My understanding remained limited to In Pakistan, although all public energy sector organiza- theories I learned in the class. When I ask tions surveyed have adopted the Anti-Sexual Harassment my husband for some information, he Law, female respondents shared stories about intern- seems shocked that I don’t know those ships during which their male colleagues would not take details because he still expects me to be on them seriously, and about being subjected to various top of everything. I tell him, because I did degrees of discrimination, harassment, and abuse from not go to the field I did not get the chance male fellow students, teachers, and internship supervi- to have the first-hand learning experience.” sors. Women recounted various instances of troubling - Female engineer in Afghanistan behavior toward them by male colleagues and supervi- sors—being told to dress appropriately (not just by men, “The decision on foreign training of but also by older female colleagues); patronizing and employees working in Government utilities overprotective behavior that is best termed psychologi- depends on the Ministry, which uses various cal abuse; and overt sexual harassment.32 As a conse- criteria for selection. However, women quence of the threat of harassment, all respondents felt claim not to get due attention most of the isolated and discouraged. It is worth noting that none of time.” the institutions involved in this study had a gender focal - Female engineer in Bangladesh point to help implement gender-related/sexual harass- ment policies. • In Nepal, the shortage of funds limits the number of staff selected for further studies, and it is mainly • In Afghanistan, male students, teachers, and su- the male staff who are chosen. pervisors avoid personal interactions with female colleagues in both private and public settings. For cultural reasons, the women did not feel comfort- Many women have been subjected able sharing instances of harassment, sexual or to various degrees and forms of otherwise. harassment “As the only girl among my classmates, I Instances of abuse and harassment are seldom re- was the constant target for cat-calls, jokes. ported. Regardless of where the harassment hap- One had to laugh it off, but mostly, it wasn’t pened (private or public sector) and for how long, most nice!” victims feared being stigmatized and did not report - Female senior engineer in India who it. Sometimes they may not even have realized that it graduated 20 years ago was a form of harassment (i.e., marriage proposals from teachers). Women often felt that it was easier to • In Nepal, the female staff emphasized their con- get used to harassment than to report it and risk being stant fear of harassment in the workplace. There is exposed. During the group discussions that were part no complaint mechanism for such issues, so when 31 Here it must be noted that this was not a study on gender-based violence, and direct questions were not asked about this subject. Information emerged organically as a result of the general discussions about barriers, issues, and gaining an understanding of women’s experiences. Regardless, the confidentiality and consent of the women has been ensured. 32 A respondent reported her experience of being harassed by her male subordinate, indicating that it happened regardless of her higher level in the hierarchy. He sent her some obscene texts. She spoke to friends and found the courage to report this to her supervisor, who took immediate action and asked the man to leave. But such cases are only rarely reported. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 17 women are victimized—even by a lower-level staff their ability to study for admission/recruitment exams, do member (support staff)—they are not able to regis- field postings, and work long hours; thus, many women ter complaints. Often they remain silent, although themselves choose the “softer” options like an office posi- occasionally they discuss the problem among tion, limiting their career growth within the organization. themselves—but rarely with male colleagues. Many communities lack reliable infrastructure, including daycare and transportation options. Women have tra- In Bhutan (and to a lesser extent, Sri Lanka) women ditionally relied on extended family for support. When were noticeably more positive about their experiences. young families leave behind a strong family and social support system in their hometowns, employees—espe- • In Bhutan, women were extremely positive about cially women—face particular challenges meeting life de- their engineering programs, saying they had expe- mands such as raising children while pursuing a career. rienced no gender gaps or discrimination. The en- Some women who are posted to a power plant live alone, gineering classes were like any other class in the leaving the husband and children in larger cities. school: no boys undermined the girls’ capacity, and women were normally at the top of the class. Both “Men with working wives have problems male and female students worked together to solve similar to ours–they have to live alone when problems and complete assignments. The respon- their wives get posted to field locations, or dents said that they were not singled out because compromise on their career.” they were women, and they do not think of them- - Retired HR director, India selves as women engineers but as engineers who are ready to serve the country. When questioned • In Bhutan, women have tried to maintain a good about support for women in the workforce, the re- work-life balance; however, respondents with no do- spondents said that they get wonderful support mestic help highlighted the challenges for working from their colleagues in the office. They said they mothers to manage both the house and the office. had had supportive office experiences, explaining They said that at times they think it is not possi- that opportunities to get involved and feel connect- ble to have a career and be a mother as well. Many ed were there if women wanted to take advantage young mothers who cannot find domestic help quit of them. The selection for training in their offices their regular jobs to become a housewife or to take was based on whoever qualified for it. flexible work. • In Sri Lanka, no women thought there were serious • In Bangladesh, women observed that in many cas- societal or institutional barriers. Almost all (15/15 es higher officers are not interested in having fe- in the public sector and 5/6 in the private sector) male assistants, citing the likelihood of service in- said they have strong collegiality from male col- terruption because of maternity leave and domestic leagues. The first-hand experience of three senior priorities such as a health-related or other crisis at female power sector engineers in the utility affirms home with children or the elderly. that competence is key to making progress in a ca- • In India, almost all women reported some unwritten reer path and especially in the CEB; they have expe- practices that adversely affect their performance rienced no gender-based discrimination. and career growth. A commonly stated one is that “staying late” is synonymous with “working hard.” If men are in the office until a late hour, they are con- For all women, their double burden is sidered better or particularly hard-working workers. an overwhelming challenge Most women need to leave the office on time, to attend to their children or perform other domestic In the absence of supportive institutional policies, bal- chores. In such situations, peers, especially male ancing the demands of both home and work can be over- colleagues, view women as less productive and not whelming to women. Responsibilities at home restrict serious about their jobs 18 Pathways to power “We have rights to a wide range of leave, such leave, they automatically lose seniority, put- including maternity leave. But the family ting them behind their male colleagues—an experi- commitments and domestic responsibilities ence that is demotivating for them. often grow because the responsibilities of • In Sri Lanka, almost all of the people inter- schooling, tuition, children’s homework, viewed—16/16 in the public sector and 5/6 in the food, and social works fall heavily on us. private sector—felt that they received a wage com- Children and teachers expect mothers mensurate with their experience. to come to all the events like parents’ meetings and sports meets. When my For women in the private sector, the sample was not large son was doing the university entrance enough to distinguish their experiences from those of examination, I took a transfer to that town women working in the public sector. In the limited cases and stayed in a rented apartment, delaying from Sri Lanka and Pakistan, there is some indication of my next possible promotion because I had overt discrimination in the private sector. It was also noted to take him for evening tuition classes. I that the application of national law could be inconsistent. returned home after his examination and took the next promotion.” • In Sri Lanka, 4 out of 6 women in the private sector re- - Female chief engineer in Sri Lanka ported discriminatory behavior (harassment by field staff) at work, compared to 0/16 in the public sector. Indeed, the women noted that the private sector pre- The rigid salary/promotion structure in fers to recruit men to avoid the need to provide better the public sector can serve to insulate services and improved facilities in field-level projects. women from discrimination • In Pakistan, four young female engineers working in the private sector all agreed that discriminato- For most of the women (as for most men), getting a ry attitudes were the primary reason why women secure government job was the compelling reason for were passed-over for leadership positions at site- joining a public utility. The stability of public sector based work. From the point of view of four experi- jobs is highly sought by both men and women, and al- enced male engineers who were also interviewed, most all the women surveyed were satisfied with their sending female engineers for field-based work re- pay and felt the hiring process was fair. Promotion and quires additional resources such as suitable trans- pay raises were largely determined by rigid public sector portation and overnight accommodation. The con- schedules based on years worked. However, this does versations suggest that in practice private sector not mean that women were not denied career growth/ employers select men for economic reasons—to promotion opportunities. Indeed, women tended to feel avoid the difficulty (and cost) of providing addition- not only that their career choices had been restricted (as al facilities for women for field-based work, espe- discussed earlier), but that their professional growth had cially in more isolated locations. been hindered by maternity leaves and lack of practical field training opportunities. Nepotism has also been raised as an issue in the public sector organizations. Women rely on empathetic supervisors to fill gaps in national/ • In Afghanistan, the women recognized that, be- institutional policy cause of their limited field experience, they often do not receive the salaries and benefits that come There are clear gaps in the national and institutional with career progression. laws, and the existing laws are inconsistently adopted. • In India, among the persons interviewed, there were Although all government organizations had adopted the no instances of wage gaps, and women seemed to minimum national requirements, women depended on have the same prospects as men for professional the understanding and flexibility of their bosses to make growth. While women are fully entitled to take ma- up for the gaps. The bosses are usually lenient and try to ternity leave, many emphasized that when they take accommodate women in desk work or allow flex-leave. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 19 Box 8. Gender Considerations at Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, India • Independent promotion/work assessment of women returning from maternity leave. This ensures that taking maternity leave does not affect women’s career growth. • Maternity leave. In addition to the 26 weeks mandated by law, new mothers are allowed to extend their maternity leave by another 12 weeks without pay. Adoptive mothers are also entitled to the 26-week maternity leave. • Flexible working hours for young mothers. After returning from maternity leave or adoption leave, women employees can ar- range for flexible working hours for the first six months, with the company’s approval. • Break-in-service option after maternity. Women employees may take a two-year break in service to give extra care to their child during the initial, crucial life stage. • Returning mothers program. A reorientation program for women coming back from maternity leave—called “Back in the Game”—includes update sessions and presentations on what changes happened in their absence. • Day-care and nursery facilities. The company provides 50 percent of the fees of partner nurseries. These facilities are ex- tended to all employees, men as well as women. • Mandatory mentoring for women managers. Each employee (man or woman) is assigned a mentor on joining the organization. For all mid-level women employees (manager and above), a senior (of VP level) is assigned as a mentor. • Learning and sharing platform for women employees. Women are also introduced to various platforms, training initiatives, guest lectures, and external programs that are designed to meet their particular needs. Source: Tata Power DDL - please see: https://www.tatapower-ddl.com/careers/Life@Tata-Power-DDL/inspiring-women@work • In Pakistan, there was arbitrariness in the appli- Men’s perspectives varied, but they cation of laws between public and private sec- were generally supportive of women in tor utilities. All public sector organizations had the power sector adopted the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law along with laws providing for other benefits (such as All the male participants were aware of the gender is- maternity leave), whereas private sector organi- sues in the power sector. They agreed that negative zations showed no consistency. For instance, all attitudes, societal stigma, and the narrow-mindedness the public sector organizations had provision for of families restrict women to desk jobs or more “suit- day-care centers, but private sector companies able” jobs in nursing and teaching. The interviewed men did not—some did not have enough space, oth- were generally supportive of encouraging more women ers had it in their plans or sometimes waited un- to work in the power sector. In Pakistan male staff at til a mother returning to her job from materni- the power plant indicated that they were open to work- ty leave needed it. All government organizations ing with women. The consultant noted that during the had flexible timings, a quota for employing wom- site visit and focus group discussions, the overall envi- en, and three months of paid maternity leave. In ronment appeared conducive and supportive towards the private sector companies, there was neither female staff. However, this particular organization did a quota nor any affirmative action policies for have an anti-sexual-harassment policy in place. hiring women, apart from maternity benefits and leave. From Sri Lanka to Afghanistan there was a general con- • In India, many of the women interviewed were full cern about women’s safety/comfort/dignity and about of praise for supportive bosses (mostly men), who the lack of qualified women. Some men felt that women permitted them to leave early to take care of a sick waste their degrees by not working and that they should child or take leave when required. However, this not go into engineering, a field that belongs to males, was more of a personal trait of the person involved who can continue their careers regardless of marriage. than an organizational norm. Private companies Some men were of the view that there are not enough such as Tata Power offer competitive benefits for institutional incentives to invest in women in the tech- women that go beyond national requirements, es- nical field and that hiring them means spending more pecially regarding retaining female staff and help- resources to retain them. Many men pointed out that ing them develop their careers (see Box 8). the biggest challenge was to change the mindset of the 20 Pathways to power parents who do not allow their daughters to perform chief engineer of a transmission department worried field duties. In a separate case, the director of a solar that sending women staff to the field for transmission- company appeared to be open-minded and supportive related duties could leave them vulnerable to harass- of hiring women. However, the strenuous requirement ment. This would mean providing security so they for lifting heavy solar panels—which, the director said, could do the job, and taking these kinds of measures women are not interested in doing—was cited as the costs the organization. Therefore, transmission jobs reason for not hiring technical women. Similarly, the are open only to males. “In field situations, especially in utilities, one has to think about gender norms and “social stigma” that force men to keep women from undertaking work that is not accepted as safe for them. It is not discrimination that impedes women’s taking the work with risks, but it is influenced by social concerns over the safety and dignity of women. In field sites we do not expect women to work on rooftops while male engineers are on ground available to take such site work. In practice men often do not allow women to engage in risky tasks and also provide support for women, especially in remote areas.” - Professor of electronics and electrical engineering in Sri Lanka WePOWER is a timely and much- especially for those who are interested in building their needed initiative capacity. Women felt that men are better informed be- cause of their greater freedom in society and their “old During the interviews, women (and men) were over- boys” networks, which allow them to take advantage whelmingly supportive of establishing a regional net- of formal and informal opportunities. For example, in work. There are no regional or national professional Pakistan, a common challenge that women reported networks exclusively focused on women in the power was that they lack the strong networking opportunities sector. Discussions made it clear that the paucity of in- their male colleagues enjoy. The men may meet after formation and the lack of an established central hub is work to talk, and not being included in the after-work so- a serious impediment to women’s career advancement, cialization affects women’s knowledge of things. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 21 V. Lessons for WePOWER Despite the diversity of the women interviewed—in age, position, and cultural background—it is startling how Box 9. Power Sector Awareness and Career much overlap there is in their experiences during their Guidance in the Maldives academic and professional lives. Women tend to work The ADB POISE (Preparing Outer Islands for Sustainable in lower levels, and the retention rate for women is low in Energy Development) project has a component on sector power-related organizations. It may be that women leave awareness, which covers nine atolls. The awareness program and do not continue in the profession because systemic invited both parents and students to attend informative ses- discrimination against them hinders their advancement sions on jobs and opportunities in the power sector, and sev- opportunities. Pakistani women were very vocal about eral female students expressed interest in joining the sector. sharing their discouraging experiences, from demeaning behavior to outright sexual harassment. In other coun- must make a more systematic effort to raise awareness tries, like Nepal and India, it is unclear whether women and engage girls/families at an early age. An easy example: were sharing their experiences openly. A distinct exception institute a “bring your daughter to work” day. (Box 9 de- was in Bhutan (and to a lesser extent Sri Lanka), where the scribes an interesting sector awareness program.) women were noticeably more positive about their interac- tions with their fellow students/staff and teachers/super- Marriage and safety concerns are underlying factors visors. Nevertheless, the marked difference in levels of that not only affect women’s decisions but are also abuse and discrimination must be acknowledged. used by society (family/supervisors) to justify contin- ued bias and discrimination. Whether or not the con- It is clear that the institutional cultures at the schools and cerns are valid, women in the region are expected always power sector organizations are very important. Every util- to have a “protective” male figure—a father, brother, or ity and university in the study highlighted its gender-neutral husband (see Box 10). This concern for safety influenc- approach in describing its admission/hiring/promotion es access to higher education, valuable fieldwork, and practices, despite women’s experiences to the contrary. practical internship and training opportunities because it Indeed, everything is based on national test scores and restricts women’s mobility and strives to keep them out qualifications. Some of the private companies held a dif- of an “unsuitable” work environment. Balancing work life ferent view: they see hiring and training a woman staff as a with domestic responsibilities is a universal challenge risky investment that will go to waste if she marries and has for working women. Indeed, even considerate laws such to leave the job because of family commitments. A more as the Wedlock Act allow women to better fulfill their proactive approach will be needed to enable meaningful roles as daughters or wives while working, rather than cultural change at the institutional and national levels. be better professionals. The post-marriage double bur- den is very real—even in countries like Bhutan and the Early exposure to STEM, role models, and family support Maldives, which have near-equal literacy rates for both are crucial. The power sector is largely unknown to most boys and girls (and in the Maldives, women outnumber STEM students, who consider it a difficult area that would men in tertiary education), women still have higher un- require fieldwork and relocation. Family support is the num- employment rates. WePOWER’s goal of long-term nor- ber one reason for pursuing this career path, and lack of it mative change will be crucial to addressing this gap. explains why women are less likely to join the power sector: they are constantly questioned and discouraged. The pool Utilities are open to having more women working in of eligible female candidates that graduate from engineer- their organizations but will benefit from more concrete ing programs is already small; therefore, WePOWER must guidance on how to achieve this. For example, many work with engineering programs, and the power sector of the utilities contacted said that the main barrier they 22 Pathways to power Box 10. Family Oversight Box 11. Positive Discrimination under DABS, Afghanistan • In Sri Lanka, unmarried women are expected to inform their parents about their field programs, travel sched- To promote hiring of more women, DABS adds 10 addition- ules and arrangements for travel and accommodation, al marks (points) for women in the recruitment exams--5 while married women have to furnish the same types of marks for a written test and 5 for the interview – compared information to their spouses. to men. The exams usually consist of 80-100 questions. • In Pakistan students usually go with their father to buy parts This surpasses the requirements by Afghanistan’s Civil and equipment for school projects. This illustrates both the Servants Law, which stipulates only 5 marks as evidence importance of family support and the need to have a protec- of positive discrimination. tive male figure present in all parts of a woman’s life. circulars for information about recruitment oppor- face is finding qualified women to take the positions, tunities. Women who were interviewed mentioned but they do not have any provisions to advertise to and previous bosses who had provided mentoring and attract more women applicants. Their openness in the the motivation for them to pursue higher education, discussions suggests that they can be good partners which pushed them further up the career ladder. who will work with academic institutions to help ensure • Development and Retention. Women requested per- a steady pipeline of qualified women entering the power sonal and professional development opportunities sector. In Afghanistan, at the beginning of the year, the and supportive gender policies. They valued mentor- President of Afghanistan’s Office officially requested ship, personal and professional career development the Ministry of Energy and Water and the Civil Service services (e.g., public speaking training to build con- Commission to increase the number of women in fidence), and opportunities for international learning the energy sector and also facilitate a better working and knowledge exchange through exchange programs environment for them. DABS has instituted a more and seminars. Understandably, entry- and junior-level proactive recruitment method targeted towards women women gave greater priority to training and network- (Box 11) – a direct acknowledgment of the fact that ing opportunities. Other suggestions were to establish many women do not have as much time to study for internship programs and scholarships for girls in en- exams because of their home responsibilities. gineering colleges. The need for better work facilities (daycare, transport, toilets) and for supportive policies The findings of the rapid baseline assessment will in- to help balance home and work life—especially for re- form the five pillars of the WePOWER network and align turning mothers—was raised repeatedly. The lack of a well with the inputs provided by the strategic partners. functioning sexual harassment reporting mechanism The WePOWER work program and activities will be de- is also a common issue in the utilities. veloped in five areas suggested by the feedback of the • Policy and Institutional Change. The women want women who participated in the study: (i) STEM educa- WePOWER to pursue more ambitious goals by promot- tion; (ii) recruitment; (iii) development; (iv) retention; and ing normative change and raising awareness about (v) Policy and Institutional Change. STEM and power sector jobs. There is a clear under- standing that this issue needs to be tackled on many • STEM Education and Recruitment. It is clear that fronts. The women suggested engaging with children WePOWER will need to focus its efforts to improve and families and working to influence and improve na- outreach and awareness. Most interviewed wom- tional and institutional gender policies. In Pakistan, it en were not aware of career opportunities in the was suggested that WePOWER should monitor com- power sector, and almost all women mentioned the pliance with laws and be a place for women to regis- lack of formal and informal support systems such ter their grievances. Women understood that there are as networks. None of the women interviewed had research and data gaps on the topic and suggested career counseling or employment surveys/career that WePOWER should serve as a knowledge hub and fairs to guide them in choosing a career in the pow- repository for data, research, and outreach to keep the er sector. They depended on periodic government issue visible in the public sphere. South Asia Region Baseline Assessment for Women Engineers in the Power Sector 23 VI. Closing thoughts The assessment captures the major issues and greater acceptance, and this is an important group to barriers affecting women in the region. The findings tap into as a resource. Continued engagement with largely align with expectations in the conceptual HR specialists to institute regular collection of sex- framework. Regarding data, in the smaller countries disaggregated data will be critical to measuring the like the Maldives and Nepal, our data cover most of the progress of WePOWER’s goals. utilities. However, for a country as large as India, more work is needed, especially on the data front. Key areas Many of the women shared their difficult experiences for for future research include renewable energy and the the first time during the assessment discussions. In that private sector, and lessons learned other sectors in respect, the mission of WePOWER to connect women regards to improving gender diversity, such as in water practitioners has already begun. Many of the interviewed and gas utilities. Analyzing STEM graduation rates and mid-career women have overcome hurdles to get to where post-graduation employment rates, job placements, they are in the power sector, and they appreciate the corporate recruitment practices, and expanding the work the World Bank is doing to establish the WePOWER scope to include the entire energy industry supply Network. The study team is grateful to them for taking the chain (such as fuel supply, power system equipment time out of their very busy schedules to contribute to the manufacturing) will also help to paint a more complete study. The assessment has already identified innovative picture. Although the study is primarily focused on partners at the national level who will also benefit from a women engineers with bachelor’s and higher degrees, more formal strategic structure under the WePOWER um- programs and graduates from technical/vocational brella. The research clearly shows that (a) there is grow- training centers warrant further attention to see ing awareness and acknowledgment of the gender gap in how they can fit into the larger WePOWER program. the sector, and (b) a sizable number of women are eager Migration was also mentioned but not fully explored: to take advantage of a regional network. There is still a lot nearly all of the women who go for advanced studies of work to be done in this sphere, but we hope that this abroad never return because of better prospects and assessment is a crucial first step forward. 24 Pathways to power www.wepowernetwork.org @WePOWERSouthAsia #WePOWERSouthAsia WePOWER LinkedIn Group