Legislative agenda for gender mainstreaming in renewable energy should be strengthened

SANF 20 no 42 – by Nyarai Kampilipili
Members of Parliament in southern Africa have been urged to take concrete action in driving the legislative agenda to advance gender equality in the renewable energy sector.

Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe, Hon. Advocate Jacob Mudenda said during a virtual workshop with parliamentarians from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that women entrepreneurship within the energy sector has the potential to significantly enhance economic growth.

Women face challenges in accessing renewable energy products and technologies because of the prohibitive start-up cost of installing such equipment. As a result, women walk long distances to collect firewood, which is usually heavy, compromising health and wellbeing.