Women’s empowerment seen as key to just energy transition
The Women and Energy Carnival 2025, organised by the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) under its Women's Empowerment and Energy (WEE) Project, united leaders to celebrate the roles of women in Bangladesh's renewable energy sector.
Exhibitions, cultural performances, storytelling sessions, and policy dialogues filled the day-long programme at the Liberation War Museum in Agargaon, as participants explored ways to make Bangladesh's renewable energy transition more inclusive, sustainable, and gender-responsive.
Delivering the keynote, Banasree Mitra Neogi, Director of the Rights and Governance Programmes at MJF, emphasised the importance of equitable participation in the energy sector. "Due to the lack of renewable energy in women's work, a lot of time is wasted. It is high time to adopt renewable energy," she said.
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MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam, who chaired the opening session, remarked: "The Women and Energy Carnival reflects our commitment to amplifying women's voices and ensuring they are central to Bangladesh's sustainable and green transition." She also stressed the importance of recognising women's unpaid care work.
Special guest Nayoka Martinez-Bäckström, First Secretary (Environment & Climate Change), Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, highlighted the urgency of ensuring women's equal participation in decision-making. "With technological advancement, now is the time to think sincerely about renewable energy," she said.
Md Mahbubur Rahman, Deputy Secretary of SREDA, underlined women's significant role in climate and green finance, while Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, CPD, said decentralised electricity production in the future would depend heavily on women's involvement in maintenance.
Speakers, including Sharif Jamil, Member Secretary of DHORA, and Tanzina Dilshad, Programme Manager at the EU Delegation to Bangladesh, called for inclusive policies and greater women's leadership in renewable energy, with the EU reaffirming its commitment to supporting gender-responsive initiatives.
Development partners and private sector leaders shared reflections to close the event, marking the Women and Energy Carnival 2025 as a milestone in Bangladesh's journey towards a just and sustainable energy future.
