Gender balance is one of the cross-cutting challenges for Haiti. As in many countries, women’s access to higher decision-making levels remains a challenge in most if not all government and private sectors. Additionally, women encounter challenges such as lower educations levels with limited employment opportunities, adding to their responsibilities for the establishment of their homes and care of their family and children. In Haiti most of the women are responsible for collecting water and charcoal, caring for children, sick and elderly, and cooking (all unpaid responsibilities), and they lack financial literacy skills. All these impacts their welfare and economic positions, making them less likely to be employed and participate in the labor market. This picture of gender dynamics implies that women are especially and disproportionately in disadvantage, thus gender considerations must be taken into account to improve their lives 

The program is aligned with the cross-cutting area Gender Equality and Diversity, by empowering women through training on of solar plants and developing inclusive guidelines for the sector. 

To contribute to improve their lives and make changes in gender equality and women’s empowerment, this program is proposing to strengthen the sector by including concrete gender actions within the Autorité Nationale de Régulation du Secteur de l’Energie and gender guidelines in the energy sector expansion plan. Additionally, to contribute to the inclusion of more women in the energy sector, solar PV Operation and Maintenance training will be provided for women and men in the Caracol Industrial Park (PIC) area. Finally, as an expected result of the work that will be done in the PIC, by fostering the supply of renewable energy in the industrial park, there will be better conditions to attract more industries to the park generating more employment for men and women. 

Gender Analysis.