RES4Africa and Ethiopian Women in Energy (EWiEn) signed an agreement to promote youth and women empowerment in the renewable energy sector
“Energy is a right for all and clean and affordable energy is the most needed. However, energy in developing nations takes a different narrative, while women being the primary victims of energy poverty.”
Filagot Tesfaye, President of EWiEn
Rome/Addis Ababa, 24th March 2021 – African energy sector needs women and young people. Based on this conviction and this joint vision, Renewable Energy Solutions for Africa Foundation (RES4Africa) and Ethiopian Women in Energy (EWiEn) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join efforts in supporting the empowerment and participation of women and young people in the continent’s clean energy sector.
EWiEn strives to connect and empower Ethiopian women working in the energy sector and address the energy access challenge of women by creating linkage with energy project implementers and stakeholders., while RES4Africa’s mission is to create an enabling environment for renewable energy investments in African countries to meet local energy needs for sustainable growth. Together, the parties’ goals are highly complementary and pursue the same long-term objective to promote the development of renewable energy solutions in Africa. The signing of the agreement marks an important opportunity in the development process of the renewable sector, whose stakeholders in recent years have recognized the growing need to involve more young people and women to ensure a local inclusive development.
The two organisations will collaborate in the participation and co-organization of events, webinars and capacity building opportunities, as well as support each other in the engagement and dialogue with African entities, international institutions and sectoral stakeholders operating in the promotion of gender balance and women and youth participation. The parties are also committed in identifying synergies, exchanging know-how and organizing outreach and advocacy activities to raise awareness.
“Energy is a right for all and clean and affordable energy is the most needed. However, energy in developing nations takes a different narrative, while women being the primary victims of energy poverty.” says Filagot Tesfaye, President of EWiEn, “EWiEn with its partnership with RES4Africa, will advocate the role of women as change agents, not only as consumers of clean energy, so that to secure the gender balance in the sector.”
Women empowerment and youth participation are not only a mandatory condition but also a strong enabler to achieve the SDG7 and to guarantee universal access to energy by 2030”, says Roberto Vigotti, RES4Africa’s Secretary General “The partnership with EWiEn, an Ethiopian association that strongly believes in the need of bringing women and young people at the heart of the energy landscape, will help RES4Africa pursuing its mission: to transform Africa’s energy sector, making sure no one is left behind
