On 6, 24, and 25 of November, three workshops on Female Energy Poverty were organized by ELTE Centre for Social Sciences, Institute for Political Science, in cooperation with the Culture Club at ELTE Faculty of Social Sciences as part of the WISE (Women in Solidarity for Energy) and LIGHT (Local Initiatives for Green Housing Transitions) projects. The workshops took place at ELTE Faculty of Social Sciences, were attended by 50 participants altogether, and moderated by Ana Stojilovska, Sára Szabó, and Lili Szücs.

The events aimed to educate the workshop participants on the topic of energy poverty and raise awareness, specifically of its gendered aspects, as well as recruit interested participants as volunteers in the following WISE events. The participants discussed how the multiple vulnerabilities single mothers are facing are not addressed in Hungary. Even though single mothers face a number of difficulties and hardships, oftentimes their income makes them ineligible for social welfare support.

Furthermore, the participants reflected on the interconnectedness of energy, housing, finance, health, education, care, and gender in this context; for instance, the inadequate education and health policies pose an additional burden on single mothers. Engaging with single mothers in energy poverty should be based on mutual trust, respect, and activities that build their confidence and empowerment. Therefore, the role of local partners with access to single mothers and other vulnerable groups is essential in creating lasting platforms for collaboration and proposing policies that build on the lived experiences of women affected by energy poverty.

The events were co-founded by the European Union (CERV program) and the European Climate Foundation.

More information about the WISE project: https://wise-energy-solidarity.eu/