
LIRNEasia’s Senior Research Manager, Gayani Hurulle, was invited to conduct a session on Leveraging Digitalization for Inclusive Growth at a regional workshop on Best Practices for Accelerated Pro-Poor and Inclusive Growth Initiatives, held from 24 to 26 June 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. The event was jointly organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the BIMSTEC Secretariat, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The workshop brought together government officials and experts from BIMSTEC Member States: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, along with representatives from ASEAN countries, think tanks, and development organizations. The goal was to share knowledge and experiences on strategies that have successfully addressed poverty and supported inclusive economic growth. In her session, Gayani shared insights from LIRNEasia’s nationally representative surveys conducted in 2017/2018 (After Access) and 2021, to highlight gaps in access and usage, and insights from two case studies on social protection and labour.