Bogor, 20 – 23 February 2024 – Through the UK-PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transition) MENTARI Energy Efficiency program, the IREEM Consortium together with the Directorate of Energy Conservation-Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is holding a program to increase human resource capacity in implementing management energy in Government Buildings. Apart from material related to the SKKNI 80: 2015 competency unit regarding Energy Managers in buildings, the energy manager training carried out also raised the theme Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI). Training is also designed to encourage women's participation during activities.

Ensuring female representation in this activity is a tangible form of support for enhancing women's capacity to become certified energy managers. Out of 41 participants in energy manager training and certification activities held in Bogor, 9 were women, accounting for 22% of the total attendees. Issuing energy manager competency certificates is a step towards promoting the involvement of women in more strategic roles within the energy sector. According to data from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources as of August 2022, female energy managers represent only about 5% of all certified energy managers. This disparity is concerning given the opportunities for women to engage in energy management both in professional settings and at home.

During the training session, all participants were introduced to Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) concepts by IREEM Expert, Mrs. Anny Andaryati. This initiative aims to raise awareness of GESI issues in the energy sector, ensuring that energy management systems are designed with these considerations in mind. Mrs. Anny elaborated on the intersection of gender and energy, discussing the social and environmental aspects of gender, relevant national and international policies, and strategies for integrating GESI into energy practices.

Ensuring equal career opportunities for women and men involves facilitating access for women. In line with this, IREEM supports the participation of mothers who are breastfeeding or have toddlers in Energy Manager training and certification activities. To accommodate them, the IREEM team provides a separate room dedicated to mothers and their babies. This measure aims to enable breastfeeding mothers to participate fully in training without hindrance from their caregiving responsibilities.

To further promote the message of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in the energy sector, the IREEM team conducted interviews with several female participants to capture their experiences and perspectives as women working in this field. During these interviews, participants were asked about their roles, challenges, and aspirations as female energy managers. The videos from these interviews will be shared on IREEM's social media platforms, allowing a wider audience to learn from their stories and experiences, thereby serving as a source of inspiration for other women

We believe that support provided during the activity, including ensuring equal access and outreach to raise awareness of gender issues and social inclusion, can enhance the involvement of women in the energy sector. Nevertheless, these efforts require further refinement. By taking additional steps, we can broaden the program's reach, boost the participation of women, and enhance understanding of the challenges women encounter in the energy sector. This will help us establish a more inclusive and sustainable environment, where both women and men play equal roles in achieving clean and sustainable energy objectives.