Inclusive Leadership in the RAC Sector: Peru’s Commitment to Gender Equality

Latin America is stepping up its efforts to transform the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) sector into a more inclusive, diverse, and safe space for everyone. Peru has taken a significant step in becoming the second gender pilot project of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction in Latin America. One of the project’s objectives is to carry out a general mapping to assess the gender situation in the RAC sector, considering aspects such as access to the labour market, training programmes, and the working conditions that companies and public policies offer to promote the equitable participation of women and men in projects related to the Montreal Protocol.

During the month of April 2024, a UNEP mission took place in Lima to carry out a detailed diagnosis and understand the problems and needs related to gender equality in the RAC sector. This process included the identification of institutional barriers and other obstacles that could hinder progress toward the equitable participation of women in the cooling world. Recognised training institutions, such as the Julio Cesar Tello Technological Institute (TECSUP), Benjamin Galecio Matos Institute (GAMOR), Peru’s Refrigeration School and National Service for Industrial Work Training (SENATI), along with the Peruvian Association of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Ventilation (APRAV), played a crucial role in this initiative.

Group sessionIn order to better understand the experience of women in the sector, an exclusive session for 11 women in the sector was held, led by the inclusion and diversity consultant, Yanelit Ruiz. During this session, participants shared their daily challenges and barriers, discussing possible solutions and opportunities to overcome these obstacles. The dynamics in the technical, commercial, and academic areas were analysed, as well as ways to promote inclusion and equal opportunities.

In addition, training was offered to the staff (five women and two men) of the Ministry of Production to integrate the gender approach into institutional management. This training covered basic concepts, strategies, and tools for gender analysis, in addition to discussing the impact of equality and inequality.

With these important steps, the pilot project seeks to define the most effective interventions to achieve significant results in terms of gender in Peru’s RAC sector, as well as design a roadmap focused on concrete and measurable objectives. These joint efforts reflect Peru’s and Latin America’s commitment to move toward a more inclusive and equitable future in the RAC sector.

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