How can smart grid technologies and systems contribute to reducing poverty, addressing social inclusion, and improving gender equality and women empowerment?

This session features welcome remarks from representatives of ADB and the Government of Sri Lanka, followed by a discussion of the workshop objectives.

In this session, a range of examples from the energy and power industry in Asia is presented, and projects and programs where social inclusion considerations were assessed and addressed are also discussed. The panelists identify social inclusion issues, key project design features addressing these issues, implementation and processes involved, and results achieved, if any.

Developed as part of a series of training programs by the Melbourne School of Engineering for ADB, this learning program aimed to further improve and update the technical expertise of ADB’s executing and implementing agencies, partner organizations, and staff on the integration of high-level technology for inclusive energy solutions with a focus on enhancing gender equality and social inclusion results and benefits. It provided scope for a dynamic learning exchange taking off from the examples and experiences of Sri Lanka.

With unmet training needs owing to a large gap in training capacity, Bangladesh faces a shortage in skills supply resulting to low productivity and income. Introducing performance-based financing, the Skills for Employment Investment Project in Bangladesh involved industry associations in priority sectors to ensure large-scale public-private partnerships.

The Government of Bangladesh’s Skills for Employment Investment Program (SEIP) is the largest skills development program in Asia and the Pacific. Under a private-public partnership model, SEIP will support training of 1.5 million youths in Bangladesh of which about 70% will be provided with employment opportunities.

This presentation discusses seven development myths, provides evidence on how these perceived myths should not be considered realities, and shares corresponding take-aways that are just the exact opposite of these myths.