The Shortlist and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet have called for more women’s participation in energy careers in Africa.
A statement by the organisation said that a report, titled, ‘Empowering Women in Clean Energy: Advancing and Retaining an Equitable Workforce,’ highlighted new data on the experiences of women in the clean energy sector in Africa.
The data, collected from over 150 professionals across sub-Saharan Africa, provides insights into the causes of gender inequity in the traditionally male-dominated industry.
The study argued that women remained severely under-represented across levels of management in clean energy companies. It added that previous research showed that women held only a quarter of leadership and manager roles at renewable energy companies in sub-Saharan Africa.
It read, “The report also features the sector’s first pay equity analysis, revealing the positive but unequal impact of job training and placement programs on salaries in the industry. This report builds on the September 2023 publication, “Bottlenecks and Breakthroughs: Advancing Gender Equity in African Clean Energy,” which investigated the talent pipeline and recruitment barriers for women entering clean energy jobs, and focuses on workplace challenges that limit women’s advancement and retention once they have entered the sector.
It added, “Empowering Women in Clean Energy” syntheses insights from women in the field and presents recommendations for better outcomes, including structured training, mentorship and coaching programs, transparent pathways to promotion, flexible maternity leave policies, and access to female role models.”
Director of Shortlist Futures, and author of the report, Ciara Remerscheid, said, “As investments in climate and clean energy grow in Africa, we need to pay serious attention to female labor force participation in green jobs. “This report provides a blueprint for clean energy companies to harness the talent of women throughout their organisations.”
“The reports were funded by GEAPP as part of the “Women for Green Jobs” programme implemented by Shortlist with support from Value for Women. W4GJ aims to help more women access and succeed in clean energy careers in Africa, specifically targeting job placements, career support, and employer-level interventions across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. This program works with over forty clean energy companies, including Husk Power, Nuru, and Sistema,” it read.
