Gender inequality remains a structural issue in the #energy & resources sector. Women only represent around 20% of the global energy workforce and only 18% of leadership roles. This affects not only representation, but also how decisions are taken and whose perspectives are reflected in resource development.
During
@un_ece Resource Management Week, #northmacedonia's Minister of Energy, Mineral Resources and Mining, Sanja Božinovska, emphasized that "Empowering women in the energy and mining sectors is essential to improving how we manage our natural resources. Yet today, their voices are still too often absent where key decisions are made. Women bring perspectives that strengthen environmental stewardship, reduce conflict risks, and ensure that development benefits entire communities. By advancing #genderequality - from access to resources to leadership roles - we are not only addressing a structural gap, but unlocking better economic, environmental, and social outcomes. This is fundamental to achieving a just and inclusive #EnergyTransition.”
UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean emphasized that “as the energy transition progresses, we need to pay more attention to who is involved in decision-making and how decisions are taken. #Genderequality and intergenerational perspectives are a key part of making resource management work better in practice. That is why the work of bodies like the UNECE Expert Group on Resource Management is so important in raising awareness and developing solutions”.
The UNECE Gender-Responsive and #HumanRights-Based Approach to Sustainable Resource Management highlights that these gaps are not only a social issue but also impact outcomes. When women participate in decision-making, projects tend to be more inclusive, conflict risks are lower, and environmental performance improves.
