The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) launched the ASEAN RE-Gender Roadmap, a document aimed to facilitate gender integration in the renewable energy (RE) sector. It is an effort to realise an inclusive and just energy transition, as written in the Joint Ministerial Statement of the 39^thASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM). The development of this roadmap was supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the EmPower Women for Climate-Resilient Societies project. The project is jointly implemented by UNEP and UN Women, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

A total of 150 people attended the event, which started with a panel session, followed by a presentation of the roadmap. “We hope this roadmap will provide feasible action plans and strategic steps needed for the regional and respective ASEAN Member States’ level to have an inclusive and productive policy,” said Dr. Nuki Agya Utama, the Executive Director of ACE. UNEP’s Deputy Regional Director Isabelle Louis emphasised the necessity of this roadmap’s objective, adding that “For the energy transition to be good, it needs to be placing human rights and gender equality at its core.”

The all-women panel consisted of Dr. Parimita Mohanty (Renewable Energy Programme Officer, UNEP), Chusana Han (Assistant Director of Poverty Eradication and Gender Division, ASEAN Secretariat) and Dir. Amelia de Guzman (Vice Chairperson, Department of Energy – Gender and Development (DOE-GAD) Technical Working Group, the Philippines).

After the panel session, ACE’s Associate Energy Modelling and Policy Planning (MPP) Officer, Amira Bilqis, gave a presentation of the RE-Gender Roadmap. Guided by the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II, ASEAN currently has a target to increase RE share by 2025 through deployment of large-scale RE systems. Efforts to accelerate RE deployment could involve ways to increase women’s participation in RE projects by enabling its policy environment.

In order to answer the questions on how to accelerate RE deployment and provide inclusive and just energy transition, a roadmap to gender-responsive renewable energy policy was made. “So, not only recognising or being conscious about gender, but also mainstreaming and weaving women’s role in the renewable energy sector. It starts at the policy level and can be done by paving its way through Roadmap establishment,” Amira Bilqis explained.

The roadmap itself has four phases, looking at a long-term commitment of five to six years or beyond for the implementation, The file can be accessed and downloaded for free on aseanenergy.org/asean-re-gender-roadmap/.

Contact

[email protected]