| Summary: | The off-grid solar (OGS) sector has the potential to increase universal access to energy, alleviate poverty, support economic development, and increase gender equality. Nevertheless, although considerable advances have been made in closing gaps in access to energy, women's presence in the sector as consumers and active participants in OGS value chains remains limited. By adopting inclusive practices, governments, businesses, stakeholders, and market actors can unleash significant economic opportunities and hasten progress toward empowerment and equality and given the concessional investments that have been made in the sector, appropriate projects are an opportunity to pioneer dynamic, innovative ways to approach gender equality. This Gender Equality and Off-Grid Solar Operational Handbook responds to sectoral needs by providing operational guidance based on case studies demonstrating promising approaches to closing gender gaps in the OGS sector. The primary objective of the operational handbook is to increase the focus on off-grid energy and women's role in it at the consumer and enterprise levels. It seeks to increase productive uses of energy with a focus on women as workers in the sector, as farmers, and as business owners. It provides a practical overview of the OGS sector observed through an inclusive lens and highlights flagship projects, promising practices, and lessons learned from practitioners worldwide
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