Closing the Leaky Pipeline: Advancing Women in Engineering in Nepal and Australia

Nepal Engineers' Association (NEA) is an independent nonprofit organization of Nepalese engineers, registered under the Social Service Act of the Government of Nepal. It was established in 1962. Today, it represents 43,373 engineers, belonging to various engineering disciplines including architects, civil, electrical, mechanical, electronics etc and coming from both the public and private sector economies. NEA is governed by an elected executive council of 15 members, led by the President of the association for a tenure of two years. NEA's mandates include promoting fellowship goodwill and cooperation assistance among the Nepalese engineers, safeguarding their rights and interests and promoting development of science and technology. Lately NEA has established centers for Continuous Engineering Education (NEA CCEE) and the Business Incubation Center (NEA BIC) to address respectively the CPD requirements for professional enhancements and to promote entrepreneurship capabilities among the young engineers.
NEA facilitates and coordinates the professional activities of the independent subject specific professional societies namely that of Agricultural Engineers (NSAE), Architects (SONA), Arbitrators (NEPA), Computer Engineers (ACEN), Electrical and Communication Engineers (SECEN), Electrical Engineers (SEEN), Irrigation Engineers (SIREN), Mechanical Engineers (SOMEN), Public Health Engineers (SOPHEN), Structural Engineers (SEANep), Technical Auditors (SOTAN), Regional & Urban Planners (RUPSON), Rural Development Engineers (SERDEN), Value Engineers (NVA) and Society of Consulting Engineers and Architectural Firms (SCAEF).
NEA has also been at the forefront of developing fellowship and goodwill with international engineering associations and institutions. Presently, NEA is a member of World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) and was instrumental in the establishment of Federation of Engineering Institute of South and Central Asia (FEISCA). NEA has recently joined the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC) and have functional bilateral relations with Institution of Engineers Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE-UK), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Japanese Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) and the Korean Society of Civil Engineers (KSCE).
In the aftermath of the disastrous 7.8 magnitude earthquake of 25 April 2015, NEA had been instrumental in massive mobilization of around 3,500 engineers to conduct Rapid Visual damage Assessment of more than 65,000 affected buildings free of cost. Through partnership with Government of Nepal, UNDP and other academic institutions and professional societies, the NEA CCEE has been contributing towards enhancing the professional skills of engineers for undertaking post seismic assessment, repair and strengthening of damaged buildings. NEA is also engaged in supporting the reconstruction efforts by engaging in mason training on earthquake resistant construction and design competition for suitable model housing designs.