The ECOWAS Programme on Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Access (ECOW-GEN) since its establishment in 2013 has worked to steer ECOWAS Member States towards the direction of mainstreaming gender in policy formulation, legislative drafting, energy project and programme design and implementation, with the intention to promote equality in energy development through equal access to resources and equal contribution to the decision-making processes that shape and influence energy expansion in West Africa.
With completion of the pilot phase, the lessons learned over the 1-year period have aided in the design of a comprehensive programme with five high impact initiatives tailored to level the playing field for women and men in the development and expansion of sustainable energy infrastructure in West Africa. These high-impact initiatives are as follows:
- ECOWAS Women’s Business Fund: through grant funding and training activities, the fund supports the establishment and expansion of women-led energy businesses.
- Women’s Technical Exchange Program: a program aimed at facilitating knowledge and technology transfer among women groups with expertise in various energy technologies.
- Women’s Economic Empowerment through Energy for Productive Uses: through business development and capacity building activities, support rural women, increase productivity in agricultural activities through the use of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies.
- Mainstreaming Gender in Energy Programs and Projects: through a regional Gender and Energy policy and national strategies; capacity building and advocacy, address gender inequality in energy access and development in West Africa.
- Youth Leadership Development in Energy: empower the West African Youth to shape and influence energy developments in the region through research grants that support the development of high-quality, relevant studies that propose solutions to topical issues.
This five-year programme proposal sets out the activities that will be implemented through these initiatives and the results that can be expected over the first operational phase (2015 – 2019) of ECOW-GEN.
