Gender Mainstreaming Training for Energy Project Implementers

The Gender Energy Network of Botswana (GENBO) conducted a four day training workshop from 6 to 9 September 2010 entitled “Mainstreaming Gender Concerns into Energy Projects”. The objective of the training was to equip and strengthen the capacity and expertise of project developers, managers, planners, implementers, electricians, private consultants and academics to mainstream gender into the design and implementation of energy projects, activities and research.

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Gender Mainstreaming into Rural Electrification in Botswana

The Botswana Power Company (BPC) responded to a call for proposals by ENERGIA for programs geared towards mainstreaming gender into energy projects and programs. BPC then embarked on a gender mainstreaming project for the national rural electrification program (grid and off grid). The aim of the gender mainstreaming project is to ensure that the energy needs of both women and men are taken into account during planning and implementation. The main goal of the joint project is the creation of a Gender Action Plan for BPC for the years 2010-2015.  

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Strengthening Gender and Energy Networking in Botswana

In 2003 ENERGIA assisted in the creation of the Gender and Energy Network of Botswana (GENBO). In 2010 Energia seed funded a project to strengthen the network and partnered with Botswana Technology Centre (BOTEC) to implement the project. The main activities within the project time frame included recruitment of new member; a workshop on gender and energy issues; and the writing of two research papers.

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Network goals

To strengthen national gender and energy networks and their activities and to enable the national focal point to carry out regular activities and to leverage further funds and activities at the national level.

Activities

Below are the main activities carried out by GENBO since it was established in 2003:

• Gender Mainstreaming workshops for middle managers at BPC, RIIC, EAD and WAD
  Two workshops targeting middle managers were held for all the above named institutions except for the Women’s Affairs Department (WAD) and the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC). The training was conducted by two trainers (who are also members of GENBO) from the University of Botswana. Training for WAD will be done and for BPC staff will be undertaken in 2010.
• Mainstreaming gender in the national rural electrification program through the utility Members of GENBO are part of the Steering Committee for the off grid progam. The members give advice and support during the gender mainstreaming process. This includes engerderising the indicators used in the offgrid logical framework. The Framework will be used to monitor impact of the off grid programme products and services. The gender expert for the rural electrification gender mainstreaming project is a member of GENBO. More
• A pilot study for gender disaggregated data on energy in Botswana in Oodi village
  The study was carried out in Oodi village near the capital city, Gaborone, to test how best to collect and synthesize gender disaggregated energy data for Botswana that would guide decision making and energy policy formulation. The objectives of the study were as follows:
  • Undertake a survey in Oodi village in households and Small Medium Enterprises.
  • Derive lessons from the survey on collecting gender disaggregated data in the area of energy and how that can be propagated nationwide and in other countries.
  • Derive results of the gender disaggregated data that can be employed in decision making formulation of gender sensitive policy for Botswana.
  Download the report [PDF, 3.1 mb]
• Gender Audit of National Energy Policies and Programs
  The National Focal Point, BOTEC, with assistance from ENERGIA, facilitated a gender audit of national energy polices and programs. The audit provided an in-depth analysis of energy planning, budgets, the institutional capacity of ministries to implement gender-mainstreaming strategies, the links between gender, energy and the national objectives for poverty reduction strategies and for meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The audit made recommendations on how to bridge the gender gaps. Some of the recommendations such as training of the Energy Department staff on gender mainstreaming have since been done by members of the network. Gender is also being included in the national rural electrification programme as a result of the audit. More
• Training workshops for stakeholders who participated in the gender audit
  Training was conducted to enable the stakeholders including staff of the Energy Department and that of the Rural Industries Innovation Centre (RIIC) to integrate gender in their work.
• Participation at the UN’s Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
  Presentation on importance of audits at two side events during CSD 14 and 15, and contribution on gender equality to the speech given by Minister of Wildlife and Environment, Honourable Kitso Mokaila, at CSD 14.