The Gender and Social Inclusion Officer will develop a detailed Gender Action Plan for the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT MPA) project to strengthen gender and social considerations in the project. The officer will conduct audits of gender policies on energy access in ASCENT countries with the purpose of harmonizing the policies and accelerating the closing of gender gaps related to energy access in the region, development of programs that attract women with STEM backgrounds to the energy sector in COMESA Member States and other ASCENT supported countries, and the development of a regional Women’s Leadership Institute and a regional STEM Skills Accelerator Institute to support the skills development of women in leadership positions and prospective women leaders within the sector as well as address the skills gap women experience to be employed in the energy sector. The technical assistance will also include promoting women’s participation in the energy sector as entrepreneurs, champions, and role models.

The Gender and Social Inclusion Officer will be based at the Gender and Social Affairs Division but will also provide support to the Infrastructure and Logistics Division and the Trade and Development Bank (TDB) which is also in charge of the gender-based activities that the officer will include in the work plan.