Inclusivity, Representation, and Mentorship: Women are Shaping Southeast Asia’s Green Energy Future

As women’s empowerment takes center stage in driving accelerated climate action and sustainable development, the narrative around women and climate change is also evolving. Once seen solely as victims of its disparate impacts, women’s roles as environmental stewards and catalysts for transformative action are now being widely acknowledged. This year’s International Women’s Day theme, ‘For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment’, builds on this momentum to amplify women’s voices across all spheres of society—the community, the workplace, and the marketplace. A notable shift is the growing focus on inclusivity and empowering the next generation of changemakers.

This emphasis on inclusivity and leadership aligns seamlessly with Southeast Asia’s ambitions for sustainable development and accelerating the energy transition. Realizing this vision requires building on policy commitments to make the green energy space more inclusive—through recognition of existing contributions made by women, empowering micro-level entrepreneurs and women-led initiatives, and ethical representation to empower the next generation of climate leaders. 

Laying the Groundwork with Policy

Gender parity in the world could increase global GDP by over 20% and unlock USD 172 trillion by bridging income gaps. In regions with fast-growing economies, like Southeast Asia, income and gender disparities are holding back inclusive development. The ASEAN Gender Outlook 2024 reveals how women in Southeast Asia remain underrepresented in key environmental ministries despite their increasing political participation. Further, a  Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) score of 39 indicates high gender discrimination within Southeast Asia’s social institutions, and thus, an urgent need for a new legal and social framework. 

Significant policy reforms are needed to close the gender gap and to advance progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the historic commitments made at the Beijing Declaration nearly 30 years ago. These reforms must be shaped by improved gender data, derived through coordinated approaches and continued data collection. 

A robust gender-responsive policy framework will accelerate innovation in the green energy space, build resilience, and propel transformative climate action.

Collaboration to Achieve Shared Goals

With green jobs anticipated to rise to 30 million by 2030, Southeast Asia is looking at a unique opportunity for inclusive development. While government policies set the foundation, collective efforts will be the key to bridging the gaps between strategy and action. Shared goals and commitments from businesses, educational institutions, government, policymakers, philanthropies, and civil society will be pivotal to driving large-scale progress toward a just and inclusive economy. Reinforced by gender-responsive strategies and policies, the coming together of public, private, and philanthropic forces will lead to job creation and equitable access to opportunities, long-term investments, upskilling and reskilling of women, increased representation in decision-making spaces, and the enabling of the next generation. 

Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) exemplifies how strategic collaborations can leverage the advancements in the energy transition to augment inclusivity. Under the REAL (Renewable Energy Access for Last Mile) program in Indonesia, the Alliance is looking at minimizing the dependence on conventional fuels while enhancing energy access for last-mile communities through renewable energy. Additionally, in Kawa Village, Maluku, GEAPP is tapping into the opportunities offered by Productive Uses of Energy (PUE) to empower island livelihoods and remote communities. The Tembesi Floating Solar Power Plant is another example of how environmental projects can align with social interests. Supported by GEAPP and PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (PT SMI), in addition to providing 30 MW of clean energy to Batam City, the project will open new prospects for green jobs and innovation. 

This community-based and collaborative approach eliminates the double burden of energy poverty that women face. It encourages and enables them to contribute to green solutions through job creation, training and reskilling programs, and targeted support for small businesses. By expanding opportunities, these initiatives amplify women’s contributions and cultivate future leaders. Greater representation not only strengthens the sector but also inspires young people, showing them they too have a pivotal role in shaping the future of green energy.

Taking Climate Action Forward: Empowering the Next Generation

An inclusive green economy is one that leaves no one behind. Women’s limited representation in technical and leadership roles within green industries in Southeast Asia, reflects deep-rooted barriers, such as societal norms, limited access to education and professional networks, glass ceilings, and gender investment bias. Rural youth face additional challenges, including fewer opportunities to access quality education and vocational training in green sectors. This disparity threatens the equitable distribution of benefits from the energy transition and green economy. While it is important to mainstream women’s voices into the climate narrative, we must also enable our youth to take climate action forward.

This can only be achieved through equitable access to opportunities, representation, and mentorship. Inclusivity strengthens the workforce by fostering diverse perspectives, driving innovation, and building resilience. By ensuring all segments of society are equipped to contribute, Southeast Asia’s green transition becomes not just an economic imperative but a social one.