Photo 1. Group Photo of ACE Staff celebrating International Women’s Day 2025

International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on the 8^th of March to commemorate the achievements of women and promote gender equality across all sectors, including energy. In celebration of this, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) supported by the ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project (ACCEPT) Phase II conducted a month-long campaign that spotlights women in ASEAN’s energy sector. With the theme of #ACEcelerateAction, this initiative seeks to amplify the voices of women, recognise women’s contribution, and advocate for gender-inclusivity in ASEAN’s energy sector.

Various types of content were disseminated on ACE and ACCEPT’s social media throughout March, ranging from official statement from the high-level representatives in ASEAN, insightful blogs related to gender and energy, gender-inclusive pledges, perspectives from ACE’s women staff, and an exclusive interview from the Senior Official on Energy (SOE) Leader of Lao PDR on the Lao PDR’s efforts in empowering women in its energy sector.

As part of the campaign, ACE and ACCEPT also hosted an internal event for its staff titled “Celebrating International Women’s Day 2025: Inspiring Women Leaders in Energy” on 20 March 2025. This interactive discussion featured a sharing session from Dr Tharinya Supasa, Manager of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy (SRE) Department–ACE’s first female manager. ACE staff were encouraged to engage, share their insights, and discuss strategies for accelerating gender-inclusive energy transition in ASEAN.

Auliya Febriyanti, Junior Officer of Energy Modelling and Policy Planning (MPP) Department, served as the Master of Ceremony of the event and led the ice breaking session. Participants were instructed to write down one or two words that describe what gender inclusivity meant to them, and who are their female role models. These starting questions helped set the tone for the event and allowed participants to personally connect with the theme and share their thoughts openly.

Aldilla Noor Rakhiemah, Senior Research Analyst of MPP Department & Project Manager of ACCEPT II, delivered opening remarks to official kick off the event. She highlighted that women make up only 20% of the global energy workforce—and an even lower 8% in the ASEAN region—which underscores a significant gender gap. Because of this, she underlined the importance of mainstreaming a more gender-inclusive working environment in ASEAN’s energy sector, where women are not only more represented but also occupy leadership roles. By empowering women and promoting more gender equality, ASEAN can achieve a more just and inclusive energy transition for all.

Photo 2. Aldilla Noor Rakhiemah, Senior Research Analyst of MPP Department & Project Manager of ACCEPT II, delivering opening remarks to kick off the event.

Photo 3. Sharing Session from Dr Tharinya Supasa, Manager of SRE Department, as the event’s speaker.

Following Aldilla’s remarks was Dr Tharinya’s session, where she shared her journey working in ASEAN’s energy sector as a woman—from her early experiences as a young energy professional navigating a male-dominated field to becoming the first female department manager at ACE in 2025. Prior to becoming a manager at ACE in 2025, she first joined the organisation in 2018 as part of AGEP Phase 2. Back then, she noted that she faced hurdles during her journey, but those obstacles also came with the opportunities that brought her to where she is today.

After the presentation from Dr Tharinya, the floor was open for questions and sharing sessions from ACE staff, which was moderated by Indira Pradnyaswari, Research Analyst of MPP Department & ACCEPT II. The session delved into various topics such as gender roles in the community, the role of men in supporting gender equality, and the challenges faced by women in the energy sector. ACE staff were given the chance to reflect on their experiences and share their perspectives on promoting inclusivity, addressing unconscious bias, and fostering a more gender-sensitive work environment.

Photo 4. Sharing session from ACE staff – (From left to right) Veronica Ayu Pangestika, Associate Research Analyst of SRE Department, Shania Esmeralda Manaloe, Research Analyst of Fossil Fuels, Hydrocarbon, and Minerals (FOM) Department, and Afham Kilmi, Associate Research Analyst of Energy Modelling and Policy Planning (MPP) Department.

Photo 5. Sharing session from ACE staff – (From left to right) Beni Suryadi, Senior Manager of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APACE) Department and Suwanto, Senior Officer of the FOM Department.

This event also coincided with the launching of the Gender Equality in ASEAN Energy Booklet – Volume II. As a continuation of the first volume published in 2024, this booklet provides fresh insights into gender mainstreaming within ASEAN’s energy sector, highlighting both progress and ongoing challenges, as well as other key areas related to gender equality in the energy sector.

Photo 6. ACE staff celebrating International Women’s Day 2025 to #ACEcelerateAction for ASEAN’s gender-inclusive energy sector.

Moving forward, ACE and ACCEPT will continue to promote gender-inclusivity across ASEAN’s energy sector through its initiatives and engagements. #ACEceleratingAction is not just a theme, but also a reflection of ACW and ACCEPT’s shared commitment to building a more gender-inclusive and sustainable energy future for all.

Read more about Women in ASEAN’s Energy-Climate Nexus here.