Employment differentiation for women and men in the off-grid solar energy sector in Côte d'Ivoire

This article explores the emergence of the off-grid solar energy sector in Côte d'Ivoire and examines the involvement of women and men within the sector's workforce. Empirically, the study contributes to generating knowledge on the gendered dimension of the labour force within the Ivorian sector, employing qualitative research methods, including interviews with actors of the sector. Theoretically, the study addresses the limited attention given to employment within the energy sector, which represents a gap in the Feminist Political Ecology (FPE) literature. This study extends the application of FPE to the context of the off-grid solar energy sector workforce of a West African country, integrating insights from the energy and gender literature. It investigates ways in which women and men gain knowledge on solar energy, as well as the gender stereotypes and occupational patterns of the workforce. Participants revealed that women are under-represented in the sector, beginning from the educational level in both learning and teaching contexts, and highlighted that women and men are distinctly concentrated in particular positions in the workforce. These results are consistent with the literature, suggesting that gender stereotypes and misperceptions are among the key factors responsible for the way in which women and men participate in the off-grid solar energy sector. The paper concludes that alongside implementing initiatives aimed at enhancing women's participation, increased awareness among both women and men regarding gender biases and dynamics is essential, together with the adoption of gender-responsive actions and policies. • The workforce in the Ivorian off-grid solar energy sector is male-dominated • Gender stereotypes are among key factors contributing to the workforce's imbalance • Women are under-represented at the learning and teaching stages in the energy field • Women are more concentrated in administrative positions in the sector's workforce