National training workshops
Mainstreaming gender into energy projects
National training workshops have been organised, as a follow-up to the October 2007 regional training of trainers workshop 'Mainstreaming Gender Concerns in Energy Projects'. Since 2008, National Focal Points in five countries -Nepal, India, Lao PDR, Indonesia and the Philippines- prepared a national training course.
The training material used for each national level training programme was adapted to the context and needs of that country. The national training workshops all focused on mainstreaming gender concerns into energy projects. The development of action plans to mainstream gender into their own energy project by each participant is a crucial element of the national training workshops. Action plans have thus become important tools for participants to practically implement what they learned at the workshop.
Indonesia national training workshop on mainstreaming gender in energy projects
1-5 December 2008, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia has set up a team for mainstreaming gender in energy projects, in which the members include the Directorate General of Electricity and Energy Utilization, KPP (Ministry of Women Empowerment), Yayasan Dian Desa and ARECOP (Asia Regional Cookstoves Programme). The team has implemented the national training course as the first step of the gender mainstreaming process in energy projects in Indonesia. The national training programme will be followed by coaching support on an ongoing basis to support the participants. Support would include, but not be restricted to, reviewing project documents; developing a gender mainstreaming strategy; planning, executing, analyzing, and reporting results of participatory assessments during project planning and evaluation stages; and writing documentation and developing case studies.
Lao PDR national training workshop on mainstreaming gender in energy projects
27-31 October 2008, Vientiane, Lao PDR
The Lao training programme focused on project managers/practitioners handling energy projects in Laos and aimed to:
- equip participants with skills required to understand the gender/ energy/ poverty nexus;
- provide participants with practical tools, which can be used during various stages of project cycle to ensure that gender differences are not inadvertently overlooked, and that project decisions are made with full recognition of what the differential effects are likely to be on women and on men;
- collectively develop tools for the systematic monitoring and evaluation of gender mainstreaming in projects/programmes; and
- assist participants working out the concrete action plans for gender mainstreaming in their own energy projects those are implementing in many areas of the Lao PDR.
The training programme was coordinated by a team constituting members from UNDP, GRID, SNV (Netherlands Volunteer Service) and the Biogas Pilot Project (BPP). Participants included energy project practitioners -including participants from BPP, UNDP, and the Ministry of Energy and Mining-, as well as people who are not directly working in energy projects, but who could play an influential role in issues like energy access and sustainability through strategic interventions.
India national training workshop on mainstreaming gender in energy projects
19-22 October 2008, Cochin, Kerala, India
The India training programme was organized to:
- share concrete evidence from developing projects and partners to demonstrate how energy project planning approaches integrating gender and poverty considerations can yield better results by way improving energy access and reducing poverty; and
- share tools and approaches to support gender and poverty sensitive energy project formulation, implementation and monitoring in projects.
The training course was held under an institutional partnership between TIDE, CEE, GEF UNDP Small Grants Programme (SGP) and IRADE. The workshop had 32 participants including NGO partners under the UNDP SGP, and a variety of experts working in the energy sector or other relevant development areas, including (micro-)finance, rural development, women's movements, donor agencies, and business development.
Nepal national training workshop on mainstreaming gender in energy projects
22-24 September 2008, Kathmandu, Nepal
GEWNet (Gender, Energy and Water Network) in Nepal organised this national training workshop. The programme was held in partnership with different national level institutions like the Biogas Sector Partnership (BSP) Nepal, the Rural Energy Development Programme (REDP) and the Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N). A total of 26 participants (10 female) participated in the programme where most of the participants were holding decision-making positions in their renewable energy organisation. Four participants came from government organizations, eleven from NGOs, two from the private sector, and nine from international organizations. At the end of the training programme, participants prepared action plans for mainstreaming gender into their energy projects. Follow-up activities, such as coaching and advice, are an integral part of the programme up to nine months after the workshop.
