The Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), as part of the commemoration of International Women’s Day, wishes to highlight the important steps taken to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women in the energy sector in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). In light of this commitment, a campaign called “Women who make history in energy” has been developed to highlight outstanding women in the sector at the regional level.
The messages included the participation of women from different OLADE member countries, including the message of Rosilena Lindo, National Energy Secretary of Panama, who emphasized: “As women, working in the energy sector represents an opportunity for us to occupy jobs with greater responsibilities, which sometimes the fear of making mistakes, of not being excellent 100% of the time, does not allow us to take advantage of and grow. I invite you to be brave, to take a chance and bet on your abilities.”
For her part, Elisa Facio, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining of Uruguay, emphasized that “For women in leadership roles, today is a day to renew our commitment to the creation and management of policies that improve the position of women in the workplace, to accompany and guide those who come after us and contribute to equal opportunities.”
Ecuador, through its Minister of Energy and Mines, Andrea Arrobo, emphasized that “it is not enough only to have access to education, but also to reach decision-making and leadership positions for a sector that has traditionally been male.”
Gloria Alvarenga, OLADE’s Energy Integration, Access and Security Director, noted the actions being promoted by OLADE to ensure the incorporation of a gender perspective in all activities and operations related to the energy sector in LAC, in order to pursue gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in the region. She highlighted the Committee on Gender Equality, whose main objective is to ensure that gender perspectives are included in all energy-related activities and actions in Member States. The committee meets twice a year and focuses on promoting equality and empowering all women and girls in the industry. Furthermore, the OLADE Technical Group on Gender Equality and Energy (GTO Gender and Energy) has been constituted as technical support to the Gender Equality Commission, which will meet permanently in 2024. The role of the group will be to provide important input and information to the discussions on the issues, in relation to the gender perspective in the energy sector.
Advances and challenges in the inclusion of women in the energy sector are an important pillar of OLADE’s work, and it is worth noting that in 2023 there have been several milestones at the regional level, such as the cases of Bolivia, Colombia and Panama, where regional initiatives that positively impacted the energy sector were awarded. These projects recognized the work of women in the field of energy. The Uruguayan Association of Women in Energy (AUME) was established, marking a historic milestone in Uruguay. This women’s network will play a crucial role in advocating for diversity and professional development in the energy sector. In Panama, within the Solar Champions program, 30 indigenous women in the Ngäbe Buglé Region were trained in the installation and maintenance of rural photovoltaic energy systems. This marked a milestone in empowerment and green technology. And in Guyana, 80 women were trained in essential technical skills for the installation and repair of solar panels, promoting gender equality and opening new avenues for sustainable development in the region. In the construction of a micro-grid in Honduras, 80 women were integrated into the construction work team. The project successfully trained 272 women in gender awareness, violence prevention and women’s rights.
Finally, for this 2024, OLADE within the legislative component of the LAC energy landscape, will place special emphasis on the distribution of legal documents that directly address gender equality issues related to the energy sector. This will allow the dissemination of knowledge and best practices that have been successful in this area in other countries in the region.
Through these initiatives, OLADE reaffirms its commitment to gender equality and lays the foundation for a more inclusive and equitable energy sector in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Communications and Institutional
Relations Department
josefa.corral@olade.org