ConstructHER holds inaugural international webinar on women’s participation in construction law

The ConstructHER Global Legal Network, founded by Mehak Oberoi, recently held its first international webinar addressing the persistent underrepresentation of women in construction and infrastructure law.

Titled “Missing from the Table: Why Women Remain Underrepresented in Construction Law,” the webinar was held on March 9, 2026.

It brought together stakeholders from the judiciary, arbitration institutions, government, and the construction industry to examine structural barriers and explore ways to improve participation.

ConstructHER founded in January 2026, is a practitioner-led international initiative aimed at strengthening the role of women in construction and infrastructure law across jurisdictions.

The network is built around three key pillars, visibility, voice and vocation, to promote professional development and active participation in the field.

The webinar included speakers from the judiciary, arbitration institutions, government, and the construction sector, including:

• Mehak Oberoi, Founder, ConstructHER Global Legal Network and Legal Head–Hydro Power (APAC) at GE Vernova

• Justice Hima Kohli, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India

• Dato’ Mary Lim Thiam Suan, President, AIAC Court and Former Judge, Federal Court of Malaysia

• Iman Hyder-Eliz, Vice President, American Arbitration Association–International Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA-ICDR)

• Mary Mutupa, Vice Chair, CIArb Zambia and Managing Partner, iSettle Management Consultants

• Avnit Singh Arora, Director, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India

• Rashmi Kathpalia, Former General Counsel, Technip

The webinar featured discussions on the structural and professional barriers affecting women’s participation in construction and infrastructure law. Topics covered included access to opportunities, professional visibility, allocation of complex mandates, mentorship, and institutional support.

It also examined how institutions, professional networks, and mentorship initiatives can contribute to more inclusive participation in the field.

The session began with opening remarks by Mehak Oberoi, who shared the inspiration behind the initiative and highlighted the need for platforms for women in construction law and dispute resolution to exchange experiences, engage in dialogue, and build professional visibility.

Justice Hima Kohli delivered the keynote address. She reflected on the representation of women in the construction sector and the legal fields connected to it, and stated that issues of participation relate to access to opportunity, visibility, and professional endorsement. She also referred to allocation of mandates, institutional support, and mentorship.

The panel discussed the structural and professional barriers affecting women’s participation in construction law and infrastructure dispute resolution.

Topics included the need to move beyond mentorship to active sponsorship and institutional commitment to diversity in arbitral appointments, addressing gender imbalance in professional forums and panels, and creating space for more inclusive participation.

The discussion also covered how the historically male-dominated nature of engineering and infrastructure industries affects representation in construction arbitration, the growing pipeline of women gaining experience in complex infrastructure disputes, the importance of specialised training and capacity-building initiatives, and the role of practical exposure to construction projects and disputes in developing credibility and confidence for arbitrator appointments.

The webinar is set to be the first in a series of engagements planned by the ConstructHER Global Legal Network to support women in construction and infrastructure law across jurisdictions.

It aims to promote ongoing discussions, encourage professional cooperation, and enhance opportunities and recognition for women in construction and infrastructure law globally.

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