Bolivia has officially announced the creation of the Association of Women in Energy of Bolivia (AMEB), a national initiative designed to boost women’s leadership, promote gender equity, and enable greater participation by women in the transformation of the energy sector. The initiative is the result of a process that began in 2025, bringing together more than 250 women from the country’s nine departments, drawn from the public, private, academic, civil society, and international cooperation sectors.
The launch took place during a series of sessions dedicated to strengthening AMEB institutionally, held from August 13 to 15 in La Paz. The event was supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy as well as the ProTransición program implemented by German Cooperation through GIZ and co-financed by the European Union. The agenda set out aims to improve organizational capacities and leadership within the group, establish operational plans for each commission, and drive the institutional consolidation of this new association.
During the event, Gloria Alvarenga, Director of Integration, Access and Energy Security at OLACDE, delivered a talk titled “Latin American and Caribbean Network of Women in Energy – RedLACME: Toward Regional Integration with a Gender Perspective.” In her presentation, she stressed that “Women’s networks do not replace public policies or business-sector decisions, but they are a fundamental platform for creating opportunities, strengthening visibility, promoting mentorship, and coordinating efforts. These spaces allow new generations to find role models; enable sector professionals to access greater development opportunities; allow researchers and specialists to engage with decision-makers; and enable national organizations to showcase their experiences and help shape a regional transformation agenda.”
Guided by this vision, OLACDE is driving a regional gender and energy agenda, backed by the mandate of its Member Countries, that seeks to integrate a gender perspective into energy sector planning and decision-making. This work is carried out through technical assistance, evidence generation, capacity building, and support for initiatives aimed at closing gender gaps and expanding opportunities for women and girls to participate and lead in the energy sector.
