Vienna, 28th July 2022. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) through its Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC) and the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET) have initiated collaboration leading to the establishment of a women and youth empowerment network under the global GN-SEC platform, as well as the implementation of highly visible south-south and triangular activities.

In the course of the next 12 months, a dedicated mentoring programme for gender and youth focal points of the Sustainable Energy Centres will be developed and implemented, thereby strengthening the centres activities on gender and youth empowerment as well as providing suggestions how centres can advise country members in promoting gender and youth. Furthermore, individual coaching for the inclusion of gender- and youth-sensitive actions in the Centres work programme will be provided, leading to both the inclusion of gender and youth considerations in existing activities as well to the creation of new projects. Finally, a session on gender- and youth-transformative action will be organised at the Vienna Energy Forum 2023.

“UNIDO is pleased to work with GWNET to add an additional focus on gender and youth to GN-SEC’s work. This will empower the Sustainable Energy Centres in these fields and lead to concrete action on the ground, driving and accelerating the energy transition”, says Martin Lugmayr, Coordinator of the GN-SEC Programme at UNIDO.

“We are excited to work with UNIDO to strengthen the gender and youth empowerment capacity of the Sustainable Energy Centres as we believe in the crucial role of women and youth for the much-needed acceleration of the energy transition and for making this transition more inclusive”, adds Christine Lins, Executive Director of GWNET.

About GN-SEC

Today, the GN-SEC network comprises eight operating centres in the Arab and African region (ECOWAS, SADC, EAC, Arab League), Asia and Pacific (SPC, ICIMOD), as well as Latin America (CARICOM, SICA). Currently, the network is expanding to Central Africa (ECCAS) and Central Asia (ECO). The centres have approval by more than 108 Ministers of Energy and/or Heads of State and serves 38 of 46 least developed countries (LDCs) and 32 of 36 small island developing states (SIDS). Further background information on the GN-SEC is available here.

About GWNET

The Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET) aims to advance the global energy transition by empowering women in energy through interdisciplinary networking, advocacy, training, and mentoring. GWNET is a membership-based non-profit organisation with over 3.000 members from 140+ countries and numerous partnerships with various international organisations such as UNIDO and regional/national women in energy networks.  Further background information on GWNET’s work is available here.