Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Assessment Workshop with Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL)

In a powerful stride towards a gender-inclusive clean energy future, USAID’s South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) Program organized the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Assessment Workshop with Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL) on September 2, 2024, in New Delhi. With a focus on empowering women and marginalized groups, the workshop provided project heads at EESL with essential tools and knowledge to integrate GESI principles into their daily operations, driving a more equitable future in the clean energy workforce. The aim of the session was to challenge the status quo within the energy sector, encouraging participants to rethink traditional gender roles and embrace inclusive practices.

Proceedings commenced with an address by Vishal Kapoor, CEO of EESL, followed by welcome remarks from Apurva Chaturvedi, Senior Regional Clean Energy Specialist at USAID/India. This set the stage for a comprehensive workshop that sensitized participants towards the concepts of gender equality and social inclusion within the energy sector. Dr. Nidhi Prabha, GESI Advisor at USAID’s SAREP, led the participants through key modules, including an exploration of gender disparities in the energy sector, best practices for gender integration, and practical exercises aimed at reinforcing these concepts.

The workshop began with an engaging ice-breaking exercise that highlighted changing gender roles across urban and rural India. Participants discussed how men in urban areas are increasingly sharing household responsibilities as women enter the workforce, while in rural settings, traditional gender roles persist. This exercise was designed to encourage participants to reflect on societal norms and envision a future where gender equity is more prevalent across all sectors, including energy.

A vast range of topics were covered during the half-day workshop. Participants learned about gender budgeting, tools for addressing gender gaps, and strategies for integrating gender considerations into their projects. The sessions emphasized the importance of continuous learning and the need for EESL to adopt the gender-transformative lens that promotes inclusivity at all organizational levels. Participants engaged in hands-on exercises, including a SWOT analysis from a GESI perspective, where they assessed strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to gender integration within EESL’s operations through a hypothetical exercise.. These exercises allowed participants to collaborate, explore the GESI lens in their ongoing work , and apply GESI principles in practical contexts and their future interventions.

This effort marks a significant step forward in embedding GESI principles within EESL and further building the capabilities of EESL’s senior leadership on gender and social equity. We hope that with this first step of our collaboration we can further strengthen EESL’s ongoing efforts at catalyzing gender equity.