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Energy, Poverty & Gender: Finding the energy to address gender issues

Sobiah Becker

Pak German Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency programme

March 28, 2009

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Energy and its linkages to development

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Energy is not just a driver of economic growth but also contributes to sustainable development

Access to modern forms of energy ensures better lives

Access to modern energy but the access to services that modern energy provides which makes the difference!

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Energy and Poverty

Energy and poverty are strongly interlinked: access to energy services contributes to achieving the Millennium Development Goals

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Energy, poverty and gender: the facts

45% of the population in Pakistan lack access to modern energy

Non-traditional fuels carry environmental, health impacts Greater burden on women (and children) as they are the

primary energy procurers Societal roles ensure that women and children are the

poorest of the poor! Indoor air pollution causes lung and respiratory diseases,

eye diseases, blindness, tuberculosis, and death Main affectees of indoor air pollution are women and

children Gender dimension of energy and poverty needs to be

addressed

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Challenges

Ensuring equitable access to energy services for men and women

Men and women use energy differently! Shift away from the “Basic energy services to meet basic

household needs” paradigm Energy services for productive use of energy - income

generating activities of women What the government, energy service companies

(RESCOs and ESCOs) can do to promote gender responsive services

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Opportunities Several opportunities present themselves:

The development of improved cooking devices which use biofuels more efficiently to reduce women’s drudgery and damage

Introduce clean, green energy (solar, wind, biomass, hydro), incentivize it, assure access for women

Gender neutral technology infusion: involve women in the O&M of energy technologies

Focus on productive use of energy: activities like water pumping, agricultural processing, cottage industries, income generating activities for women

Develop market mechanisms to ensure energy for the poor, recognize the role of women as good energy managers

An understanding of gender roles makes business sense!

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What can we do?

Government: formulate gender responsive energy policies for equitable, sustainable development of energy

Entrepreneurs: create business models which have an inherent understanding of gender roles, for better products, services and delivery

Financial institutions: create instruments to facilitate access to modern energy services especially for women like Grameen Shakti in Bangladesh

Civil Society, NGOs: create greater understanding of women’s issues in energy, advocacy and training

Development Organizations: facilitate the development and implementation of energy initiatives with strong gender components

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Thank you

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