#ClearHerPath: Meet women who are blazing a trail in South Asia’s workforce

Jobs and economic opportunities open the door for women to reach their full potential, and contribute to the economy, their communities and families. But women across South Asia still face barriers that prevent them from holding a job, climbing the corporate ladder or running a business. And when women do work, they often earn significantly less than men and are denied full benefits and protections.

What can be done to boost women's economic empowerment? Policies that boost job creation for women in high-growth sectors can help more women enter the job market. Services like child care and elderly care can free up women to take on paid work outside their homes. Interventions that increase access to land, credit, and job skills can be game changers for women who want to start a business or qualify for certain jobs.

When a woman is empowered economically, the possibilities are endless. In the second part of our three-part series, meet trailblazing leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators across South Asia whose inspiring stories show what happens when you #ClearHerPath.

Nidhi Pant, Co-founder, Science for Society (S4S Technologies), India

Science for Society (S4S Technologies) creates sustainable livelihoods for smallholder women farmers. Thousands of women across India use our solar-powered food processing technologies to process surplus produce and earn steady incomes. My work is about dignity, equality, and agency. When a woman becomes an entrepreneur, her community changes - children stay in school longer, families eat better, and aspirations rise.

Being a woman in the agri-tech and clean-tech spaces meant constantly proving credibility. I was often the only woman in the room, and it took persistence to be heard. The most instrumental people in shaping my journey have been the women farmers we work with. Seeing their courage when they step out of their homes for the first time to run solar dryers or negotiate with buyers reminds me to never give up.

Access is the biggest enabler - access to education, finance, technology, and networks. We also need environments that trust women's potential - workplaces, families, and policies that make it easier for women to take risks, fail, and grow. For young women, seeing role models who look like them can be transformative. Ultimately, it's about building spaces where women don't need permission to lead - they simply do.

Nafira Ahmad, Founder and President, Amplitude, Bangladesh

Amplitude eradicates social taboos and discrimination in Bangladesh through community-based initiatives. We're a team of over 35 youth members and 1,500 volunteers, with 98,000 beneficiaries across Bangladesh. We also make basic resources accessible in underprivileged schools in Dhaka

When I started a non-profit in Bangladesh at sixteen, I faced skepticism. People questioned my credibility, leadership, and ability to manage finances. It was difficult to be taken seriously in a space where experience and age are valued over innovation and intent, and women are expected to remain compliant.

I learned by doing-failing, adapting, and trying again. Every obstacle became an opportunity. What cleared my path was self-discipline, conviction, and the belief that young women don't need permission to lead.

The community that believed in Amplitude kept me going. They reminded me that change begins with action, and that leadership is built piece by piece.

To clear the path for young women, trust them to lead. Too often, women are told they must gain more experience, or "prove themselves" before being given opportunities. That mindset needs to change.

We need systems that provide resources, access, and recognition. This includes safer public spaces, equal pay, flexible work environments, and more women in positions of leadership.

To see progress, stop asking women to change to fit systems, and instead change systems to fit women.

Zareen Mahmud Hosein, Founding Partner, Snehasish Mahmud & Co. Chartered Accountants, Bangladesh

As a woman in a male-dominated profession, I've faced doubt in boardrooms, the juggle of motherhood and ambition, and invisible ceilings. But women who walked before me made space.

My grandmother founded Ghashful, an NGO that touched thousands of lives. She showed me that women could build institutions and shape communities. Her legacy gave me permission to dream big-and the courage to act on it.

I've had many mentors, each helping me navigate a different challenge. One of them recommended me for an independent directorship at a bank. Another told me to imagine my critics as aliens, and myself as the normal one. That shift in perspective has been an asset each time I take a bold step forward.

Representation matters. So does mentorship. But real transformation comes from infrastructure with intention, that includes flexible work policies that respect both caregiving and ambition and safe, reliable transportation. Leadership pipelines that invest in women also make a difference.

I make it a point to pay forward what my mentors did for me. I meet one younger woman every week for coffee and conversation. I invest my time in others' growth. In return, I grow too.

We need to normalize that women can dream big, lead boldly, and still bring their full selves to work-saree, hiking boots, spreadsheets, and all.

Faria Yasmin, Managing Director, Bata, Bangladesh

Over 23 years, I have built businesses and transformed organizations. For my sons, I am an example that women can lead complex businesses, and still nurture a strong family.

Like many South Asian women, I had to break through structural biases: being the only woman in boardrooms, being questioned for leading operations, and the expectation that women must compromise their ambitions. Balancing motherhood with crisis management and high-pressure decisions was a tough part of my journey.

My mindset and supportive mentors helped clear my path. I learned to claim my space, lead with confidence, protect my boundaries, and remain resilient. I also benefited from mentors who pushed me to take on roles many women are not offered.

Empowering women requires change. Women need reliable childcare, flexible work structures, and organizational support so they don't have to choose between a baby and a career. Safe and convenient transport can increase women's participation. Finally, women must think of themselves as professionals with equal rights to ambition and actively build a career with seriousness, confidence and long-term planning.

Women need to be strategic, seek growth, and show up with a leader's mindset. When internal clarity meets external support, women don't just participate - they accelerate.

Sonam Pem, Executive Director, Tarayana Foundation, Bhutan

I am a social development worker at the Tarayana Foundation, which enables sustainable livelihoods in some of Bhutan's most disadvantaged rural communities. We improve lives and contribute to nation-building.

Working in the remotest parts of Bhutan meant frequent field visits. Some villages involve three days of walking just to reach, sleeping under the open sky and no access to toilets or bathing facilities. In my early years, I was often the only woman on my team. I visited schools where all the faculty members were men. People addressed me as "sir" because they had never encountered a woman from outside their community.

I am a mother of three, and have been able to continue my career because of strong support systems. Female leaders who understood my needs as a woman and a mother, and colleagues who supported me during maternity leaves, made a difference in my career. My in-laws sacrificed their time to care for my children, allowing me to work.

Strong leadership, enabling policies, and support systems make the biggest difference. Without family support, many women are forced to choose between having a family and pursuing a career.

Creating flexible workplace policies, supportive leadership, and community-based care systems ensure that young women can build careers while raising families.

Ashlesha Karki, Deputy Managing Director, Hotel Mechi Crown, Nepal

Hotel Mechi Crown has shaped our community and contributed to Nepal's tourism landscape. Our hotel has created employment for hundreds of young people, supported local vendors and farmers, and helped build an ecosystem of opportunity. Our hotel also showed what curated hospitality experiences could mean for the nation's economy.

I am fortunate to have a support system that believed in me and stood up for my right to grow. My family never made me feel "less capable". But the outside world was not as kind.

As a young woman stepping into leadership, there were times I was quietly dismissed. From senior colleagues to outside officials, I had to prove my capability.

I remember a meeting in a well-known organisation where I shared a thoughtful input. One respected senior man refused to look up. It was deliberate disregard. In that moment, I understood what so many women face daily: being treated as invisible. That moment pushed me to stand up for myself and every woman who is overlooked.

Change begins at home.

When families trust women with responsibility, decision-making, and leadership, the world opens up. Young women need environments where their voices are heard. And finally, we need safe transportation, supportive policies, mentorship programs, and flexible work structures that allow women to build sustainable careers.

But the single most transformative change is normalizing women working, deciding, leading and succeeding. That is how we rewrite the narrative.

Sonika Manandhar, Co-Founder and CTO, Aloi Global, Nepal

I co-founded Aloi, a fintech platform that helps farmers and small green businesses access financing.

As a woman in tech and finance, being taken seriously was the first battle. I've had my expertise questioned in rooms where I was the most qualified person. I often had to prove myself twice just to be seen once.

I'm here because my parents invested in my education. They never told me to limit myself because I was a girl. Their belief built the foundation that allowed me to walk into spaces women weren't expected to be in.

Women mentors and global networks gave me a platform when local doors were slower to open. And my own stubbornness and curiosity led me to venture into an unexplored path - refusing to accept that leadership, innovation, or finance are 'not for women'.

Talent exists everywhere; opportunity does not. We must remove the barriers that shrink girls' choices. Families and schools must nurture ambition. Girls shouldn't be told to be "realistic" while boys are told to dream big. A single encouraging adult can rewrite a girl's belief in what is possible.

Second, systems must make access fair. That means finance designed for women entrepreneurs, safe and reliable transportation, and workplaces that support women in leadership and caregiving roles.

Finally, we must normalize women in roles they've historically been absent from, such as leading companies, building technology, and shaping policy. When girls grow up seeing women everywhere making decisions, they don't question whether they belong there, too.

Lonali Rodrigo, Fashion Designer and Founder, House of Lonali, Sri Lanka

House of Lonali upcycles post-industrial and post-consumer textile waste into beautiful, wearable designs. My journey began with my love for design, but it was shaped by my grandmother's spirit of empowering women and my father's entrepreneurial drive.

I combine creativity with purpose - advocating for mindful consumption, sustainable communities, and women's empowerment through design and entrepreneurship. I've created livelihood opportunities, reduced textile waste, and inspired a community of conscious consumers.

I've faced challenges anyone on a creative and entrepreneurial path might encounter. I've been fortunate to have male allies in my life who supported me. I've also been inspired by incredible women and their stories of courage and perseverance. My makers have been my greatest teachers. Through their lives, I've learned some of the most meaningful and humbling lessons that shape how I lead.
Simply believing in young women and showing them that challenges are part of everyone's journey can normalize hardships and give courage. In a world where we are constantly following influencers and trends, it's both difficult and essential to find your self. Helping young women discover their passions is key. Truly enjoying every part of your work - even the hard parts - transforms challenges into strength. Ultimately, it's the mindset, the way we approach and embrace our journey, that can clear the path for young women to thrive.