A significant event took place in Astana where the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) closed their program dedicated to supporting the renewable energy sector and advancing gender equality in Kazakhstan. This initiative, organized by EBRD in collaboration with EY, GCF, and Ergon, included a special awards ceremony celebrating "Women in the Renewable Energy Sector."

The event offered a platform for engaging with key stakeholders and program partners while shedding light on the noteworthy progress made in promoting gender equality within Kazakhstan's green and energy sectors.

Zhandos Nurmaganbetov, Vice Minister of Energy in Kazakhstan, underscored the significance of elevating women to leadership roles in companies and emphasized the importance of increasing the representation of women among employees.

"The Ministry of Energy is committed to promoting gender equality, and according to our monitoring, 1,615 jobs have been created in the country, with 1,361 positions held by men and 254 by women. Although there is a male-skewed distribution, it's worth noting that women are primarily in leadership positions within the renewable energy sector. Within our ministry, which comprises 225 employees, 113 are men, and 112 are women," stated Zhandos Nurmaganbetov.

Ainur Sospanova, Chairperson of the Board of the Qazaq Green Renewable Energy Sources (RES) Association, expressed gratitude to EBRD, GCF, and their esteemed partners like EY and Ergon for their unwavering support.

"During the first decade of establishing renewable energy sources in Kazakhstan, we focused on building the nation's capacity, attracting investments, and more. Over the course of this three-year program, Kazakhstan has gained valuable insights from international experience in gender development within the renewable energy sector," she added.

The creation of the "Women in the Renewable Energy Sector Award" marks a pivotal milestone in strengthening the renewable energy industry in Kazakhstan. It identifies female role models, but also raises awareness of the importance of equal opportunities for women in the renewable energy sector, government structures, businesses and public organisations.

Ksenia Babushkina, EY Central Asia and Caucasus Advisory Service Leader, emphasized the role of women in renewable energy as drivers of change, fostering innovation and sustainable development.

She stated, "Women in renewable energy act as catalysts for transformation."

The awards ceremony recognized exemplary individuals in various categories:

Gulzhan Nalibayeva, General Director of RFC RES Support LLP, was honored as "Female Leader in the Renewable Energy Sector".

Raigul Bulekbaeva, Project Manager at Smart Volt LLP, was honored as "Driver of Change in the Renewable Energy Sector".

Gulnur Kalimuldina, Project Manager for the "Mechanical Energy Harvesting System based on Hybrid Nanogenerators," was honored as "Young Researcher in the Renewable Energy Sector".

Kyzzhibek Ryszhanova, Founder and Director of Smart ReEnergy LLP, was honored as "Business Leader in the Renewable Energy Sector".

Alina Fazylova, the developer of a control and management system for vertical-axis wind turbines, was honored as "Best Startup in the Renewable Energy Sector".

These outstanding individuals play vital roles in managing power plants, contributing to the regulatory framework of the RES sector, and driving programs and research aimed at further developing Kazakhstan's green economy.

Ainur Sospanova concluded by highlighting the ongoing efforts of the Qazaq Green RES Association, which includes the formation of a women's club consisting of 24 members representing industry professionals dedicated to gender equality. This initiative not only caters to the renewable energy sector but also provides training for energy professionals, an essential step in decarbonizing traditional energy sectors.

It's worth mentioning that the EBRD and GCF program has achieved several significant milestones, including the development of a national roadmap that articulated key priorities and proposed activities to advance women’s participation in renewable energy, providing a basis for coordinated action by the Government of Kazakhstan, other stakeholders, and EBRD. By bringing together key public and private sector actors, this work enabled joint planning of coordinated activities, highlighted the broader importance of the topic, and aligned gender equality objectives with key existing strategic priorities;

• the development of a baseline assessment of women’s economic participation in renewable energy in Kazakhstan, which is the first study to provide an overview of the specific trends, challenges, and opportunities pertaining to women’s economic participation in renewable energy;

• raising awareness activities of job opportunities for women in renewables by supporting student visits to RES facilities, as well as organizing RES awards to highlight and celebrate women’s achievements in the sector;
  
• the launch of a dedicated jobs platform in partnership with the Centre for Human Resource Development to help candidates identify vacancies at RES companies;
  
• technical assistance provided to clients in wind and solar to establish a work-based learning programme in partnership with local higher education institutions. This dual education Initiative Involves companies working together with educational Institutions to offer practical on-site work experience that complements female students' formal studies;
  
• support to and promotion of women’s leaders in the renewable sector through the development of a tailored mentoring programme, connecting junior women with senior executives in the renewables sector via a Women’s Energy Club, as well as an expert database to be launched in cooperation with Kazakhstan's renewable energy association Qazaq Green to promote the visibility of women in the sector and enable networking.