Bolivia has officially launched the Bolivian Association of Women in Energy (AMEB), a national initiative designed to strengthen women’s leadership, advance gender equality, and foster greater participation by women in the transformation of the energy sector. The initiative is the result of a process launched in 2025 that brought together more than 250 women from all nine departments of the country, representing the public and private sectors, academia, civil society, and international cooperation organizations.
The launch took place during a series of institutional strengthening sessions for AMEB, held from August 13 to 15 in La Paz. The event was supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy and the ProTransición program, implemented by German Cooperation through GIZ and co-financed by the European Union. The agenda focused on strengthening organizational capacities and leadership within the association, developing operational plans for each committee, and advancing AMEB’s institutional consolidation.
During the event, Gloria Alvarenga, Director of Energy Integration, Access and Security at OLACDE, delivered a presentation entitled “Latin American and Caribbean Network of Women in Energy – RedLACME: Towards Regional Integration with a Gender Perspective.” She highlighted that women account for approximately 32% of the renewable energy workforce, while their participation falls to 22% in the oil and gas sectors. She also noted that, within companies engaged in renewable power generation, women hold approximately 36% of technical positions requiring STEM qualifications.
With the establishment of AMEB, Bolivia becomes the fifth member association of the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Women in Energy (RedLACME), joining organizations from Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic. Promoted by OLACDE, the network seeks to connect national organizations, increase the visibility and representation of women energy professionals, and strengthen their participation in national and international decision-making processes related to the energy transition.
AMEB’s formal launch was coordinated with the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE) and the ProTransición program, implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy through the Vice Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy. The event included a presentation of AMEB’s 2025–2027 Strategic Agenda, a roadmap focused on strengthening the association’s internal organization, fostering inter-institutional collaboration, creating new opportunities for women, and contributing effectively to public policy.
As part of this initial phase, a technical transfer agreement was signed with GIZ/ProTransición, along with a partnership agreement with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy. These agreements are intended to strengthen AMEB as a platform for advancing women’s leadership and participation in Bolivia’s energy transition while reinforcing its contribution to the broader regional energy agenda.
