Mainstreaming Gender in ASEAN Energy Policy and Planning

Key Messages

• The ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) has acknowledged the importance of a Just and Inclusive Energy Transition through the 39th and 41st Joint Ministerial Statements (JMS). The concept of a just and inclusive energy transition is highly relevant to the commitment to integrate social equity considerations into the shift towards sustainable and low-carbon energy sources in order that both economic and social benefits can be maximised.
• Challenges to mainstreaming gender in ASEAN energy policy arise mainly because of the limited representation of women in regional decision-making processes to champion the agenda, and a lack of the necessary energy-gender data to make informed energy policy and planning decisions.
• The next cycle of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC), as the regional blueprint in the energy sector, should consider establishing dedicated strategies for a “Just and Inclusive Energy Transition” to encompass the
  energy-gender nexus and its activities.
• The recommended action plans and activities can be integrated and pursued through various perspectives: intensifying learning exchange and awareness raising campaigns, establishing and continuously improving an energy-gender database, developing in-depth studies on energy-gender dynamics (i.e. the impact and role of women), mainstreaming gender analysis in energy reports, and organising annual multistakeholder dialogues.