Gender mainstreaming turned out to play a significant role in scaling up energy projects and creating an enabling environment for women to achieve their potential at all levels. ENERGIA’s collaboration with institutions, international agencies and governments offered the opportunity to highlight how gender norms and gender-blind actions represent a barrier to achieving the newly launched Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to energy access (SDG7) and gender equality (SDG5).

From the beginning of this phase, ENERGIA focused on showcasing the linkages between SDG7 and SDG5 through advocacy services, capacity building, support to other organisations and participation in events. ENERGIA also made the strategic decision to focus its policy influencing activities on integrating gender into SEforALL processes at the national level.