23rd Gender Summit – Energy transition through a gender lens

01. - 09.06.2023 1-2nd June 2023: virtual; 8-9th June 2023: in-person, Accra

GS23 recognises that many people and organisations are currently experiencing cuts in their budgets and travel opportunities. But the urgency to advance gender equality in Africa and globally remains very high and is hugely relevant to the goal of achieving fair and just energy transition from the traditional to modern, green, and sustainable energy sources.

GS23 aims to be inclusive, sustainable, and informative with a programme organised into two Parts. Part 1 focuses on research and takes place on 1-2 June as a live, virtual event. To help individuals connect to the Internet in a reliable way, several organisations in different countries have volunteered to host a hub where groups of individuals can gather to connect to the GS23 on-line programme and discuss what the speakers are saying. Part 2 focuses on policy and takes place on 8-9 June as an in-person event in Accra.

Aims of GS23 

The key concern of GS23 is about gender equality issues in energy transition and the Green New Deal (GND) and how research can provide the evidence needed to inform policy and practice. The potential topics include:

  • impact on different social groups, and the patterns of inequality
  • how will the transitions contribute to achieving the social objectives?
  • whose values, knowledge, priorities, and interests will shape the policies and actions?
  • what role is there for universities to support social policy, regulation, participation, and collective action? 
  • how to ensure local-level livelihood and production systems? 
  • how to deal with the displacement of people or food crop production to make way for biofuels? 
  • what role is there for energy policies to protect domestic users in low-income households? 
  • how to prevent bias in job markets and governance institutions dominated by men, which excludes women from participation and decision making?

Focus of GS23

GS-Africa 2023 will ask:

  1. What is the role of academia in sustainable energy transitions, e.g., in building capacity and human resources that can support just and gender sensitive sustainable energy transitions? What changes are need to the curriculum to maximise supply of talent? How to achieve greater participation of women in higher education to become energy transition professionals.
  2. What is the role of Civil Society organisations in promoting sustainable energy transitions: e.g., in identifying the social conditions and systems required to ensure just and gender sensitive sustainable energy transitions? What are the challenges for communities in rural, peri-urban, and urban settings? What is the true impact of moving away from firewood and biomass as the key household energy?
  3. What is the role of government in shaping energy transitions pathways and processes: e.g., creating policy frameworks and targets that recognise the needs of all citizens? How can government departments implement gender mainstreaming into their missions and agendas for energy transition?
  4. What is the role of environmental wellbeing: e.g., how to ensure that protection of natural ecosystems on which communities rely for their livelihood, and how will the plans for a sustainable and just energy transition impact on their survival of local communities? How to monitor and prevent the impact of environmental degradation on communities?

You can find the full programme here!