On the invitation of ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy, ADFIAP participated as a panelist at the Transformation Lab as part of the virtual “Just Transition Forum in Asia 2021” on September 9, 2021, organized by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Regional Climate and Energy Project in collaboration with Climate Action Network Southeast Asia (CANSEA).

The one-hour dialogue engaged prominent speakers from the private and public sectors, including UNIDO and ADFIAP, to unlock some of the key dimensions that link women’s empowerment with the energy transition.

Among the topics discussed were whether and how new opportunities for women’s empowerment can be expected from the energy transition around the globe; how energy transition could foster more inclusive policy-making in Asia; and how Asian financing institutions are responding to women’s entrepreneurship and a growing clean energy sector.

ADFIAP was represented by Ms. Corazon D. Conde, Group Head-ADFIAP Consulting who shared her observation on how ADFIAP members across Asia and the Pacific are responding to growing international interest towards renewable energy on the one hand, and to an increasing understanding of the relevance of women’s economic empowerment, on the other hand, citing emerging new trends and noteworthy developments in this space. She also discussed what would boost women’s access to finance both on the demand side, supply side, and intervention from Government. Her presentation was capped by a financial inclusion success story using as an example the Green Energy Loan Program of Alay sa Kaunlaran, Inc (ASKI) an ADFIAP-member based in the Philippines which attracted women entrepreneurs to shift to solar technology to improve their business operations.