UNU-MERIT Working Papers Series
Gendering green transition in Africa: Implications of transformative policies
Gideon Ndubuisi & Elvis Avenyo #2026-011This paper examines the gender implications of the green energy transition in Africa, and the role of transformative policies. Based on a comprehensive review of the energy–gender literature, we find that the energy transition present substantial opportunities for women’s employment and entrepreneurship. However, these opportunities are systematically constrained by entrenched structural inequalities. Overcoming these barriers requires policies that do not only accommodate existing structures but actively transform them. To assess whether current frameworks meet this challenge, the paper conducts qualitative policy mapping of green-transition related policies in Ghana and South Africa, complemented by key informant interviews. Findings reveal that, despite inclusive rhetoric, existing policies largely reproduce the status quo and are insufficient to deliver equitable employment outcomes. In response, the paper proposes a Gender-Transformative Industrial Policy (G-TRIP) framework to guide policy shifts that align green energy transitions with gender-inclusive structural transformation.
Keywords: Gender equality, Green transition, Engendering Policy, Gender-Transformative Industrial Policy (G-TRIP), Africa
JEL Classification: O14, O55, O57, J16
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53330/WUAD2811
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