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UNEP-backed SolutionsPlus not only for sustainable mobility, but also creating jobs for women
SolutionsPlus – an innovative project supported by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and funded by the European Union – has not only contributed to accelerating the rollout of electric vehicles, but also helped create jobs for women.
SolutionsPlus has helped nine cities from Kigali to Quito, Ecuador speed the rollout of electric vehicles. Many of these pilot projects – which backers call living labs – have emphasized the importance of creating economic opportunities for women.
That has helped put drivers, especially women, at the forefront of the electric vehicle movement, which experts say could reshape urban mobility across the Global South and rein in the greenhouse gas emissions propelling climate change.
There are an estimated 570 million two- and three-wheelers on the road in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Most of these vehicles have internal combustion engines. They consume up to 20 percent of all liquid petroleum fuels used for transport in countries outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, making them a major source of air pollution and climate-altering greenhouse gases.
But in some places, the tide is starting to turn towards electric vehicles.
In Quito’s historic center, a fleet of electric delivery vehicles – including bikes, mini-vans, and quadricycles – are ferrying packages as part of a SolutionsPlus project. The vehicles have transported some 300 tons of goods, preventing the release of 6.5 tons of carbon dioxide and advancing the city’s goal of reaching zero emissions.
The pilot project trained and licensed women drivers through partnerships with local logistics companies, such as Grupo Entregas, a Fedex licensee that reduced its carbon footprint by 10 percent.
“We are convinced that changing the mobility business model is necessary and urgent,” said Maria Paulina Romo, president of Grupo Entregas.
Meanwhile, startups in Argentina and Colombia are developing environmentally friendly transport options, including for residents with disabilities, with support from SolutionsPlus. Montevideo, Uruguay, now boasts a network of charging stations supporting the growing number of electric vehicles navigating its streets.
In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 43 electric three-wheelers and 16 pedal-assist bicycles were introduced, and 45 people were trained in assembly and repairs.
In Hanoi, Viet Nam, SolutionsPlus helped introduce 50 electric mopeds and train 150 drivers—nearly half of them women. Diesel buses were converted into electric vehicles in Kathmandu, Nepal. Meanwhile, in Pasig, Philippines, electric four-wheelers, known as quadricycles, now deliver the mail and collect rubbish.
“With projects like SolutionsPlus we are not just introducing and testing new technologies. We’re cultivating entire ecosystems to support a shift to sustainable mobility,” said Rob de Jong, Head of UNEP’s Sustainable Mobility Unit .
Perhaps the most dramatic transformation is taking place in Rwanda. With support from UNEP, Kigali, home to 1.7 million people, has created an electric vehicle charging framework, introduced a bicycle-sharing network, and rolled out a fleet of electric buses. It has focused on creating economic opportunities for people living in poverty and women.
That work culminated recently in a precedent-setting decision: in January 2025, Kigali halted the registration of petrol motorcycles for public transport, allowing only electric motorbikes.
SolutionsPlus is an 18-million-euro project orchestrated by the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative. It is funded by the European Union and the Global Environment Facility. It is concluding following a nearly five-year journey.
“The lessons learned here will be invaluable in shaping a cleaner, zero-carbon and more inclusive urban transport landscape for the future,” said UNEP’s De Jong.
“Sustainable mobility is about reducing emissions, yes,” added De Jong, Head of UNEP’s Sustainable Mobility Unit. “But it’s also about creating opportunities, empowering communities and reimagining our cities.”
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