The World Bank Group and the Australian Government are deepening their long-standing partnership in South Asia to promote inclusive growth, with a strong emphasis on women's economic empowerment—a priority both see as central to sustainable development.
For the World Bank, accelerating regional growth means not only expanding opportunities for women but also mainstreaming women leaders and entrepreneurs into trade, skills development, and infrastructure projects. Australia, through its new gender equality strategy, has also positioned women's empowerment at the heart of its foreign policy, development, humanitarian, and trade agendas.
This shared commitment has shaped two major joint initiatives—the South Asia Regional Trade Facilitation Program (SARTFP) and the South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity (SARIC)—which have supported research, dialogue with governments, and pilot programs that unlock women's role in cross-border trade, enterprise, and skills training.
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One notable outcome is the AIT's SAR-100 program, which builds on the success of WePOWER, a World Bank-Australia supported professional network launched in 2019 to boost women's participation in the power sector and STEM fields.
WePOWER has grown into a coalition of more than 50 organizations, working to break barriers for women in technical careers while promoting mentorship, education, and community-level engagement with parents and young girls.
By integrating women into regional trade and infrastructure value chains, these initiatives are helping women entrepreneurs and professionals in South Asia scale businesses, access new markets, and challenge entrenched cultural biases. The ultimate goal: a stronger SME ecosystem that drives inclusive growth and positions women as key players in regional development.
