The case for WE Nepal

Why WE Nepal

Women are about one in five engineering students in Nepal but only about one in eight registered engineers. Here is what the evidence shows, and how we respond.

Women bricklayers in Kirtipur, outside Kathmandu. Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0Grade 8 students at Shree Dharmasthali Lower Secondary School, Pokhara. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 2.0Grade 3 students reading, Shree Sahara Bal Primary School, Pokhara. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 2.0

Women bricklayers in Kirtipur, outside Kathmandu. Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0Grade 8 students at Shree Dharmasthali Lower Secondary School, Pokhara. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 2.0Grade 3 students reading, Shree Sahara Bal Primary School, Pokhara. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 2.0

1 in 8

registered engineers is a woman

7,562 of 60,936 NEC-licensed engineers, early 2021

29%

of Tribhuvan University engineering students are women

Five-university average: 21% (4,450 of 21,258), 2016

of surveyed engineering faculty are women

3 of 68 faculty surveyed, 2016–18

<0.5%

of women at the power utility are in the top grades

Nepal Electricity Authority technical staff, 2018

~8,000

new engineers enter the workforce each year

About 5,000 trained in Nepal and 3,000 abroad. Nepal has about 77,000 NEC-registered engineers in all (2023)

Where women engineers work

Discipline mix of women registered with NEC, 2001–17

Civil55%

Electronics & Comm.30%

Electrical / EEE11%

Barriers across the career lifecycle

One programme type won't fix the pipeline

Research with women professionals in Nepal's engineering, water, energy and environment sectors shows barriers at every stage. For each stage we have a matching response.

1 / 3

Grade 3 students reading, Shree Sahara Bal Primary School, Pokhara. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 2.0A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A district engineer shows visitors a school under construction. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 4.0

What the evidence showsOur response

01School to admission

What the evidence showsMany girls reach engineering through family influence or as a fallback from medicine, and few see role models.

Our responseRole-model school visits, parent sessions and scholarships

02Campus

What the evidence showsStudents face harassment and safety fears and discouragement from faculty. Some avoid labs and libraries, and parents often restrict fieldwork.

Our responseCampus chapters, peer circles, a field-camp buddy system and safe-campus advocacy

03Licence

What the evidence showsSince 2023, every new engineer must pass the NEC licence exam, and pass rates are near 30%. It is a new hurdle right after graduation.

Our responseLicence-exam bootcamps and study circles

04Early career

What the evidence showsSites lack lodging and toilets for women. Early-career engineers also face tokenism, men taking credit for their work, opaque promotion, "old boys" networks and little information about openings.

Our responseA job board, mentoring and site-facility standards agreed with employers

05Mid-career

What the evidence showsAfter marriage and children, time is short. Workplaces rarely offer childcare, and career breaks are common.

Our responseA return-to-work programme, plus childcare and flexible-work policy templates for employers

06Leadership

What the evidence showsVery few women reach senior grades, and few sit in the leadership of professional bodies.

Our responseA leadership academy, a board-ready roster and support for women standing in NEA elections

07Enterprise

What the evidence showsWomen have limited access to investment and networks, and there are few women-led engineering firms.

Our responseA founder programme, access to finance and a roster of women-led firms for procurement