1. 13.10.2015 Seite 1 Energy, Poverty & Gender: Finding the energy to address gender issues Sobiah Becker Pak German Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency programme March 28, 2009

2. 13.10.2015 Seite 2 Seite 2 AMM/032009 Energy and its linkages to development 13.10.2015  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!

3. 13.10.2015 Seite 3 Seite 3 AMM/032009 Energy and Poverty Energy and poverty are strongly interlinked: access to energy services contributes to achieving the Millennium Development Goals 13.10.2015

4. 13.10.2015 Seite 4 Seite 4 AMM/032009 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 13.10.2015

5. 13.10.2015 Seite 5 Seite 5 AMM/032009 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 13.10.2015

6. 13.10.2015 Seite 6 Seite 6 AMM/032009 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! 13.10.2015

7. 13.10.2015 Seite 7 Seite 7 AMM/032009 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 13.10.2015

8. 13.10.2015 Seite 8 Seite 8 Thank you 13.10.2015