While the renewable energy sector employs over 32 percent of women globally, just 5.5 percent to 13.7 percent of female employees work in power-related companies in Bangladesh. Furthermore, the number of working women in the renewable energy sector is scarce as it is relatively new here, according to the study conducted jointly by Inspira Advisory and Consulting Limited and Manusher Jonno Foundation.

Salman Rahman, director of Inspira, presented the findings at an event yesterday titled "Gender Impacts in Renewable Energy Sources and Technologies in Bangladesh" at MJF Tower in the capital's Mirpur. Promoting women's participation in the renewable energy sector can be a significant way to ensure gender equality, said the study. Women are not reaching decision-making positions in the renewable energy sector due to societal norms, lack of access to finances, and inadequate knowledge, training, and skills, along with gender biases, it added. Addressing as chief guest, Waseqa Ayesha Khan, head of the parliamentary standing committee on power, energy, and mineral resources, said Bangladesh is being praised worldwide for women empowerment in the political and economic arena.

"We have a lack of female participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. We need to work together to ensure the participation of women in every sector, including renewable energy," she added. Khandaker Golam Moazzem, research director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, urged the government to realistically fix the target of power generation capacity during the event. Tania Haque, director of Centre for Gender and Development Studies at Dhaka University, said the entire sector is affected as the decision-making positions are primarily held by men.

Nahid Sharmin, gender specialist at Aspire to Innovate (a2i), said if women have financial empowerment, it will be easier for them to take part in the decision-making process. Shaheen Anam, executive director of MJF, said, "Women are typically the ones who are most involved in household energy management, yet very little discussion takes place regarding their participation in the energy sector." "Renewable energy is the future. We should prioritise women's participation while formulating any policy related to this sector," she added.

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