Author: Tjarda Muller
-
The Marathon Continues: Reflections on this Year’s HLPF From ENERGIA Director Sheila Oparaocha
By Huda Abdelnur This year’s High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) carries particular significance for the global sustainable development agenda. It marks the final in-depth review of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) — ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all — before the 2030 deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. To discuss…
-
Scaling Impact, Women’s Empowerment and Energy Access: Results from ENERGIA’s ‘Women Driving the Energy Transition and Climate Justice’ Program
Over the past three years, ENERGIA has continued to demonstrate that when women are empowered as entrepreneurs, leaders and changemakers, they drive both economic growth and sustainable energy access. Across five countries, women-led enterprises are helping expand clean energy markets, strengthen community resilience, and advance climate justice. At the end of Year 3, the program…
-
From Call to Count: Gender-Responsive Energy Actions for the Final Mile
On 6 July 2026, The High-Level Political Forum side-event From Call to Count: Gender-Responsive Energy Actions for the Final Mile convened one year after the Gender Indicators for Sustainable Energy: A Call-to-Action side event at last year’s HLPF. Bringing together Member States, United Nations entities, development partners, civil society, research institutions, and youth representatives, the…
-
From Call to Count: Gender-Responsive Energy Actions for the Final Mile
📅 6 July 2026 🕒 11.30 – 12.45 EDT 📍 CR-9, UNHQ, New York 🌐 In person, with Live webcasting: connect here You are cordially invited to join a high-level discussion on advancing gender-responsive energy actions at the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), contributing to the final in-depth review of SDG…
-
Lighting the Path to Empowerment: Lessons from Nepal’s Inclusive Electrification Journey
What does it really take for electricity to transform lives? ENERGIA’s latest Lessons Learned publication from the ADB-supported TA-6526 NEP project in Nepal challenges the traditional view of electrification as a purely technical exercise. Instead, it shows that when energy access is designed with gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) at its core, it becomes…
-
Political Economy of Gender & Energy: Key Insights and Strategic Directions
This brief synthesizes insights from an expert webinar on 5 March 2026 on the Political Economy of Gender and Energy, hosted by the ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Energy, The Policy Practice, and the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice. The webinar convened practitioners, researchers, development partners, and policy actors working at…
-
From Pledges to Power: Why Women Must Drive the Clean Cooking Transition
By Sheila Oparaocha As we prepare for the review of Sustainable Development Goal 7 on universal access to sustainable and affordable energy at the High-Level Political Forum in 2026, attention to the close connection between energy access and gender equality is increasing. Although access to electricity has improved, progress toward clean cooking is still lagging…
-
Beyond Access: Why Electricity Alone Doesn’t Empower Women
By Saskia Kemps For years, global development efforts have focused on expanding access to electricity as a pathway to social and economic progress. Yet, during my fieldwork in Nepal and throughout the research for my master thesis, I found clear evidence that access to electricity alone is not enough. Electrification can improve living conditions, but…
-
ENERGIA at COP30: Championing Gender-Transformative and Data Driven Climate and Energy Solutions
Were at COP30! Together with the Gender and Energy Compact, its champion governments and signatories, we will convene global stakeholders to advance gender-transformative climate and energy solutions. These events spotlight inclusive strategies, data-driven approaches, and multi-sector collaboration to accelerate equitable energy transitions—ensuring women’s empowerment is central to climate action and sustainable development goals. We’ll be…
-
Boosting Women Entrepreneurs and Clean Energy Access in Tanzania
A major milestone in advancing gender equality and sustainable energy! ENERGIA’s trusted partner Solar Sister has extended its partnership with the Puma Energy Foundation Business Booster Programme, designed to scale women-led clean energy enterprises. This initiative is a continuation of a partnership started in 2023 which empowered 579 women entrepreneurs in Tanzania to grow their…
-
Track Gender Empowerment in Public Service Performance Contracts
By Immaculate Wafula and Ally Jamah, Practical Action This article was originally published on Citizen Digital Kenya has made significant strides in promoting gender equality within its energy sector, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Practical Action and ENERGIA. Their partnership led to the development and launch of the National Gender Policy for the Ministry of…
-
Inclusion Begins with Visibility
By Sheila Oparaocha, Director of the ENERGIA network The SDG7 Action Forum made one thing clear: without visibility, there is no inclusion. Women remain invisible in energy data—and that invisibility fuels inequality. To build a just energy future, we must start by seeing, counting, and empowering women as central actors in the transition. Anything less…