Clean energy access is a catalyst for gender equality in Indonesia. Women, especially in rural areas, are most affected by lack of access to energy due to significant time and effort spent on managing household tasks that depend on traditional fuels. This limits their time for education, work, and involvement in social activities. Recognizing these challenges, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia is taking significant steps toward creating a sustainable and equitable energy future through the Gender-Responsive Just Energy Transition Pilot Project.

Built upon the success of the Accelerating Clean Energy Access to Reduce Inequality(ACCESS) Project, which delivered renewable energy to over 3,000 households across 22 remote villages in four provinces, the Pilot Project was initiated to continue leveraging the profound impact of clean energy on transforming lives and communities. The initiative specifically focused on promoting gender equality through renewable energy by enabling women to take part as key stakeholders in energy transition.

At the heart of just energy transition is the opportunity to create pathways for women to thrive economically and professionally in this evolving landscape. To uplift women and demonstrate the broader potential of gender-inclusive development in driving long-term, sustainable economic growth, UNDP provided targeted training focusing on clean energy solutions, digital literacy, and financial inclusion for 201 women from three remote villages in Southwest Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, which is ranked as one of the regions with the lowest human development index.

This training was instrumental in empowering these women to establish three businesses that utilize clean energy to add value to their communities' agricultural products. These businesses have not only created new economic opportunities but have also demonstrated the transformative power of clean energy in enhancing local livelihoods. By leveraging their newfound skills, these women have been able to process and market their agricultural products more efficiently, leading to increased income and economic stability for their families.
 

Elfrida, one of the business leaders, shared how access to solar energy changed her community’s way of life. "The solar power plants in our village have strengthened our community and supported our small businesses. Before, we could only produce during the day while balancing our occupations and household responsibilities. Now, with access to electricity after dark, we have the flexibility to manage our production hours, which has helped us increase our output."

These businesses have not only boosted family incomes but also built a network of support among the women. They regularly exchange knowledge, share resources, and encourage one another, creating a strong sense of solidarity. This collective empowerment has given them the confidence to overcome challenges and drive positive change in their communities.
 

Following the development of women-led MSMEs, a national level policy dialogue was held to discuss and explore opportunities to implement such initiatives at scale. UNDP’s Policy Dialogue on Gender Responsive Just Energy Transition: Scaling Women's Economic Empowerment through Energy Transition–Getting Ahead of the Curve, held on 25 November 2024, brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including policymakers, development practitioners, private sector representatives, think tanks, academia, and women's groups. It highlighted the importance of overcoming socio-cultural barriers through culturally sensitive, community-specific strategies. Key areas of collaboration identified through dialogue—including empowering young women through financial inclusion and skill-building initiatives, fostering multi-sectoral collaboration to create an enabling ecosystem for women, and integrating gender considerations into national and sub-national policies—were captured in a policy brief for strategic considerations to scale up women's economic empowerment through clean energy access. The inputs will contribute to developing a gender-responsive just energy transition policy and replicating and scaling similar initiatives in other parts of Indonesia to reach more people that are at risk of being left behind.