Gender equality is one of the key conditions for a fair and clean energy transition, which is why increasing attention is being paid to empowering women and ensuring their greater participation in the energy sector, especially in leadership positions. Governments and institutions across the Energy Community are launching initiatives in this direction, but, as noted by the Energy Community Secretariat, women remain underrepresented in the nine contracting parties. These include Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Georgia, Moldova, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Ukraine, where, according to analyses by the World Bank, OECD, and other sources, women make up only about 17–18 percent of the energy sector workforce.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Secretariat asked its contracting parties to highlight efforts to promote gender equality in the energy sector, including education, leadership opportunities, and inclusive policies.
On behalf of Serbia, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, Minister of Mining and Energy, responded. She noted that stereotypes portraying energy sector jobs as primarily for men are increasingly being challenged, and women are now more present and visible. They currently lead three major state-owned energy companies and have for years headed the relevant ministry.
The minister also shared results from a survey conducted among women under 30 in Serbia, which showed that over 93 percent support the transition to renewable energy, while more than 85 percent believe that the sector’s development would have a positive social and economic impact. At the same time, respondents were less optimistic about the opportunities available to women in the industry, indicating that certain stereotypes persist.
The findings show that women recognize the importance of the energy transition and want to play an active role in it. The minister concluded that it is up to everyone—both in the public and private sectors—to create opportunities and promote equal prospects for women and men alike.
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