Levers of Change: How Global Trends Impact Gender Equality and Social Inclusioin in Access To Sustainable Energy

This scoping report reviews six key global trends that can drive—or hamper—women’s participation in the global energy access movement, both in delivering sustainable energy solutions and in gaining access to sustainable energy. These trends include growing decentralization and affordability of solar and other renewable energy services; growing use of mobile money/payments; increasing rates of women’s entrepreneurship; proliferating urbanization; and fast growing displaced populations living in humanitarian camps. The report catalogs how these trends are playing out in key developing regions in terms of impacts and challenges women are facing, as well as their participation—or lack of it—in sustainable energy efforts. The report also looks closely at how these trends are playing out in five key countries (Nigeria and Tanzania in Africa, Bangladesh and Myanmar in Asia and Haiti in the Caribbean) that all face significant energy access challenges.