A powerful dialogue on gender equality in the energy sector unfolded at the recent Talanoa ‘Employ Women, Empower the Pacific’, hosted by the Pacific Power Association and the World Bank’s Pacific Women in Power Program.
The event brought together government officials, energy sector leaders, academics, civil society representatives, and international partners to explore meaningful solutions to increase women’s employment in the Pacific’s energy industry.
The discussion centered on the challenges Pacific women face in entering and thriving in this vital and traditionally male-dominated field, while also recognizing the untapped economic potential their participation represents.
Helle Buchhave, Senior Social Development Specialist and Task Team Leader of the Women in Power initiative, cited new data from the World Bank’s Pacific Economic Update, revealing that more than half a million working-age women in the Pacific are not participating in the formal economy.
“Currently, only 43 percent of Pacific women are active in the labor force, compared to about 60 percent of men,” Buchhave noted.
“This is not just a gender issue, it is an economic one. Closing the gender gap in labor force participation could raise long-term GDP per capita by an estimated 22 percent across the Pacific.”
The report outlines four key barriers restricting women’s participation: a lack of supportive institutions and family-friendly policies, weak legal protections, persistent social norms, and a mismatch between women’s skills and labor market demands. “These barriers are interconnected and mutually reinforcing,” said Buchhave.
“Addressing just one is not enough. Comprehensive, multi-level action is required.”
Tara Chetty, Deputy Director of the Human Rights and Social Development Division at the Pacific Community (SPC), emphasized on the need for collaboration across sectors.
“While we take the lead in mainstreaming our work on gender equality, we work very closely with other divisions,” she explained. “For example, we partner with the Geoscience, Energy and Maritime Division to align our gender equality commitments with climate action and a just transition to a sustainable energy future.”
Chetty highlighted the Pacific Energy and Gender Strategic Action Plan (PICSAP) as a key regional framework that supports this integration. “Within PICSAP itself, there’s a lot of work to be done, assessing energy and climate curricula and establishing mentoring and networking programs for women and girls in the energy sector,” she added.
Addressing the education pipeline, Dr. Daniel Wood, Senior Fellow and Discipline Coordinator for Mechanical Engineering at the University of the South Pacific, emphasized the urgent need to intervene early to encourage girls into STEM fields.
“Total enrolments are about 60-40 [female to male], but in engineering it’s really lopsided,” he said. “Mechanical and electrical engineering are down to about 14% female participation.”
Dr. Wood called for a cultural shift in how STEM is introduced to girls. “We’ve got to trace it right back to the source getting science introduced to girls right from the start,” he said. While scholarships are helpful, he argued they are not enough on their own. “The idea is to flip the status quo, where women are accepted in STEM from kindergarten. That’s how we make the shift sustainable.”
As the Pacific faces rapid urbanization, economic growth, and a critical energy transition, the need for a skilled and inclusive workforce is more urgent than ever.
“The demand requires a skilled labor force and a new type of jobs,” Buchhave concluded. “The energy sector is very well aware of that need… They need the ladies to apply. It’s a win-win all around. Empowering women in energy is not just inclusion; it’s smart economics and an investment in the region’s future.”