In April 2024, Bhutan hosted the Australia Awards Regional Alumni Workshop — bringing together 42 alumni from across South Asia and Mongolia under the theme “Bridging the gender gap and supporting local women leaders.”

BAAA members played a central role as volunteer guides, facilitators, and hosts — welcoming alumni from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mongolia to Thimphu for three days of workshops, discussions, and cultural exchange.

Sessions covered gender-responsive leadership, community mobilisation strategies, and how alumni can use their Australian education to drive change in their home countries.

Post-workshop survey results were striking: 97% of participants rated their understanding of gender equality approaches as higher than before the workshop, and 84% said they had made meaningful new professional connections.

“Hosting the Regional Workshop in Bhutan was a proud moment for BAAA,” said the BAAA Chair. “It showed the world that our small nation has big ambitions when it comes to gender equality and regional cooperation.”