The energy transition in Latin America is advancing in a context marked by deep inequalities in access to electricity. In some countries across the region, up to 15% of the rural population still lacks access to electricity, with gaps disproportionately affecting low-income communities.
This reality limits access to basic services, economic opportunities, and adequate living conditions—especially for women.
In response to this challenge, Pro Mujer, through its Gender Knowledge Lab (GKL), together with Ingeniería Sin Fronteras Argentina, is jointly developing a regional study funded by ALIVE Ventures to advance an energy transition that integrates a gender perspective from the design stage of solutions.
This initiative seeks to understand how renewable energy companies operating in low-income communities can incorporate a gender lens across their value chains, drawing on the experiences of women who live without access to the electricity grid and who use—or could potentially use—solar photovoltaic solutions.
With a focus on Peru and Colombia, the study will identify gaps, opportunities, and good practices across different segments of the value chain, from product design and financing models to distribution, technical services, and community engagement. The goal is to generate actionable recommendations that help companies in the sector develop solutions that are more relevant, sustainable, and aligned with local realities.
Incorporating this perspective is critical given the transformative potential of energy access. It is estimated that achieving universal access to electricity could reduce by 185 million the number of women and girls living in poverty by 2050, underscoring the importance of accelerating investments and strategies that not only expand coverage, but also consider who gains access, how, and under what conditions.
“The energy transition is not only a technological challenge, but also a social one. Integrating a gender perspective into renewable energy value chains is key to developing solutions that respond to community realities and sustainably expand access to energy across the region,” said Tomás González Bergez, Global Gender Manager and Head of Pro Mujer’s Gender Knowledge Lab.
The findings of this study will be presented at Pro Mujer’s GLI Forum 2026 in Lima, Peru—one of the region’s most relevant platforms for advancing gender-lens investing. The initiative aims to contribute concrete evidence to strengthen decision-making in the energy sector and move toward a transition that combines sustainability, equality, and economic development in Latin America.
