Renewable, clean energy and gender equality are preconditions for sustainable development and for tackling climate change. This linkage is tacit in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Gender equality and women’s empowerment (Goal 5) and women’s and men’s equal access to secure energy services (Goal 7) are central to building more environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient societies (Goals 13 and 15) (UN Women and UNDP-UNEP PEI, 2015).

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). In doing so, UN Member States took an historic step in accelerating the Organisation’s goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women.