energy network

2010

GENDER & ENERgY

FEATURES
Mainstreaming Gender in Community Based Renewable Energy Projects in Sri Lanka Lighting the Path Towards Gender Equality: Training Women as Solar Engineers in Afghanistan Biomass Fuel Efficiency Project Implemented by Tsirang Women Group, Bhutan A UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme Womens Micro-Enterprise Initiative for Sustainable Rural Lighting in India Gender, Energy and Human Development in Nepal Policy Perspectives 03

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Gender Audit of the National Energy Policies in India South Asia Electronic Forum Discussions

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COLUMNS
Editorial Call for Papers Events 02 07 10

This special e-net issue on gender and energy is produced in partnership with ENERGIA. It details several grassroots, community based energy initiatives in the region (including Afghanistan for the first time) which have incorporated gender dimensions into energy delivery. The articles in this issue capture the reality of gender, energy and poverty linkages in the South Asian region. They provide case studies on how energy is not limited to electricity, and how access to energy and energy provision processes can be empowering and can change womens lives. Practical Actions Project Manager Rohitha Ananda, an experienced practitioner in community based energy delivery, highlights that successful energy projects need to have womens participation designed into the entire project cycle - where women are considered not only as recipients but also as planners and implementers. The featured articles include examples of innovative community energy initiatives which have secured a high level of womens involvement from the planning and management of an energy project by local women groups in Bhutan and womens engagement in energy delivering microenterprises in India, to providing training, empowerment and bringing about social change in Afghanistan. Despite these and other similar experiences where gender sensitive energy service delivery has had far-reaching impacts, the voices and concerns of community members and women members in particular often remain unheard in policy making and at international fora. The article on Nepal highlights how existing energy policies have not succeeded in bringing about gender sensitive energy delivery, a scenario further highlighted and analysed in the article on the gender audit of Indias energy policies which shows that for women, the energy sector initiatives so far have resulted in a marginal deviation from the baseline scenario. Another identified gap is that energy service delivery for women is almost exclusively equated with household energy and meeting the practical needs of cooking and heating. Womens need to access modern energy services for productive purposes to meet their livelihood aspirations is not a primary concern of energy projects/programmes. That energy can be used as an instrument for womens empowerment, gender equality and social transformation is not adequately recognised by energy policies and programmes. Does this then indicate that energy for sustainable livelihoods is not a priority for development agencies or grassroot organisations or of women themselves?

This issue suggests that while there are isolated examples where building strong roles for women in energy projects and programmes has led to far-reaching benefits, a large amount of work remains to be done to develop, and more importantly scale up, these alternate approaches to energy access. Considering the regional consistency of needs and approaches, perhaps a regional effort may provide the much needed new direction.

IMPRINT
e-net is a magazine produced and managed by Practical Action for the dissemination of information on decentralised and renewable energy technologies, implemented using a community based approach. This issue of the e-net magazine is supported by ENERGIA: The International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy. Guest Editor Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Project Manager : : : : Soma Dutta Svati Bhogle Tushani Kalugalagedera Damitha Samarakoon

Editorial Committee Habib Gul, PCRET, Pakistan; Dipti Vaghela, India; Jun Hada, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, Embassy of Switzerland, Nepal; Iqbal Karim, Practical Action, Bangladesh; Nar Bahadur Khatiwora, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Bhutan; Ramona Miranda, Namiz Musafer, and Prajapa de Silva, Practical Action, Sri Lanka Graphics, Layout and Production : Dinesh Pradeep, Minidu Abeysekera ISSN 1800 - 3680 Practical Action No. 5, Lionel Edirisinghe Mawatha, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka Tel Fax E mail e-net website : : : : +94 (11) 2829412 +94 (11) 2856188 e-net@sa-energy.net www.sa-energy.net

The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the views of Practical Action or the editorial team. Whilst all due care is taken regarding the accuracy of information, no responsibility can be accepted for errors or omissions. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 3.0 Unported License

Mainstreaming Gender in commUnitY based renewable energY proJects in Sri LanKa

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For the effective and sustainable implementation of energy projects on the ground, users of these energy services need to be included in project processes. The following interview is with Rohitha Ananda who is the Project Manager of the Enhancing Renewable Energy Options Project at Practical Action Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan. Having worked on community based energy development for over 15 years he explains how processes in energy projects can facilitate the involvement of women in the community and their access to energy to meet household and livelihood needs.
A community constructing a micro-hydro system

At the initial stages of an energy project a needs assessment is often undertaken. Who from the community do you consult for this purpose? Is it important to get ideas from everyone in a household? Yes, we try to talk to every member in a household when assessing the energy needs of a house/community for an energy provision project. When it comes to community needs assessments we try to get a fair representation from heads of households, housewives, elderly people and children. Usually, some of these groups might not be able to attend community meetings held by the project. In such a situation we visit sample households to meet such groups. It has been our experience that different segments of the community have different energy needs. In our earlier projects we focused mainly on the head of the household - often it was the father. We assumed he would know about all the energy needs of the family. However, later we realised that when a woman is the head of the household, the priorities and needs tend to be different. Often its the women who are more aware of the household energy needs and uses. Therefore, we now talk to all key members of a household

when assessing the needs for energy projects. We have seen that, especially for projects providing electricity for houses, it is the mother who takes the initiative to find the finances required (either by using her savings or pawning jewellery) as she finds that the standard of living (improvement in childrens education, social status) and the sense of security the family gets by getting electricity is very important. This practice we adopted is now being followed by most of the other organisations involved in the energy sector. Can you highlight the involvement of different community groups (men, women, and children) at different levels of implementation and operation in an energy related project? Men and women have standard roles in their society based on different factors (e.g. income levels, nature of livelihoods, etc.). Usually men take the responsibility for work involving more social interaction while women take the lead in chores undertaken within the family and with relatives. This can change depending on the situation. For instance, in some villages the men have to attend to their livelihood activities, so women attend the project meetings and

training sessions. In such situations we adjust the timings of project meetings and training to ensure convenience to the participants and to maximise community attendance. The community organisations we form to manage energy initiatives have representation from both men and women. We have also noticed that when women take charge of the financial and administrative activities of these organisations there is greater transparency and accountability. One of the problems we faced initially was that when women attended discussions and meetings, they would agree to a certain decision or schedule but when they went back home and discussed it with their husbands they would often change their decisions. We were able to overcome this problem by taking into account the fact that they need to consult family members at home before making decisions. So we gave them enough information at the workshops for them to make an informed decision, and allowed them time to consult and revert back. With this we found that their decisions were given more prominence by the husband/ father, and their decisions were well-informed. 03

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What is the level of education usually required to handle energy technologies and what training strategies are useful for women? The education level of women among communities in Sri Lanka is diverse. Most women below 30 years of age have received an education of up to grade 8 or above (in Sri Lanka Olevels are taken at grade 11). People with this level of education are easy to train on aspects concerning the use of the system, and are able to make maximum use of the system. In cases where the women had not obtained a standard/formal education, they were hesitant to handle the equipment. In such cases the project staff tried to keep the instructions as simple as possible - but this has sometimes led to the families not being able to utilise the full capacity of the system. Despite this, these families maintained the system well. An interesting thing we experienced was that young boys, even though educated, tended to experiment with the micro hydro system by using higher loads for other purposes. So, it was important to educate the mothers on what items the family should use in an electrical system and the need for her to have a control over other family members activities regarding the same. In your experience what are the differences between the participation of men and women in construction work on an energy project? In a country like Sri Lanka, the responsibilities of household members are clearly identified in a family unit which also apply when community members take part in project activities. In our projects, while we do not strive for equal participation of men and women in terms of numbers we try to get a meaningful participation of every group (men, women, elderly and children) at every stage. Through our projects we have seen that the roles they take up are often different - for instance heavy construction 04

Rohitha Ananda conducting a training workshop

work is mainly done by the men while women and children assist by providing support work and refreshments. On most occasions women are keen to quickly start the work and they motivate people to continue with it. In addition, when men are unable to participate (due to having to attend to livelihood activities) women take on more construction work. So it is an effective strategy to have a mix of people when physical construction work takes place. When it comes to handling electrical equipment (for example control units at home) since women are at home most of the time it is advantageous for them to learn how to operate and maintain this equipment. Therefore, special attention is given to training mothers and the older children on these aspects. Have you considered any design improvements in your technologies used in energy projects, specifically for women? Yes, when it comes to operating and maintaining equipment and repairing small parts, women and older children can operate and maintain the systems much better when they are able to handle the equipment easily. In addition, in case of any faults, they can get it back to functioning level quickly without waiting for the father to find spare time to repair it. So we have reduced the weight of several components which were earlier very heavy. We also train mothers and children to identify most of the

faults in a system and to buy and replace the required components. What improvements do you recommend for consideration on gender aspects when implementing energy projects? The social and cultural behaviour of the society and that of the family unit are major determinants in the gender dimensions of energy use, and need to be considered in any energy project. At the initial stages, the beneficiaries should be identified as should the potential regular users of the system. Then, with a study of their normal social background, we have to determine whether they are able to make use of the system without placing an additional burden on their normal lifestyle. To get equitable participation in implementing energy projects, both men and women need to be aware of the project benefits and the many roles they can take in its implementation. Through a process of constructive dialogue we need to help them to divide the possible work and responsibilities amongst themselves. An important aspect to keep in mind is that energy project practitioners should not try to change entire social practices in one go. This will create resistance from the society against the project and hinder the support given by the community towards the project. Interview conducted by Damitha Samarakoon, Project Manager, South Asia Energy Network.

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(Photo courtesy Practical Action)

LIGHTING THE PATH TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY: TRAINING WOMEN AS SOLAR ENGINEERS IN AFGHANISTAN
By Karina Standal

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The following article deals with the Norwegian Church Aids (NCA) Barefoot Project in Afghanistan. Implemented using the Barefoot Approach, the project is directed at establishing environmentally friendly, community-driven solar powered electricity in remote rural villages. It targets women both as beneficiaries and as community members to shoulder responsibilities crucial to the villages sustainable use of solar energy. The project serves as an example on how the incorporation of gender sensitive training and empowerment approaches in energy initiatives can benefit families and societies. The incorporation of a gender perspective in this project has benefited women, improving their life quality and empowering them to participate in energy provision and local political decision-making processes. The background for this article lies in the authors study Light and Hope: the Impact of Norwegian Church Aids Barefoot Approach on Women, Beneficiaries in Rural Afghanistan carried out in 2008. Introduction Gender and energy have become one of the latest buzz words in development aid discourse. While mainstreaming gender has become obligatory in most aid interventions for reasons of smart economics1, sustainability and the fight for womens rights, energy has been the forgotten arena. This is largely because energy interventions focus mainly around electricity and electricity has traditionally been viewed as a gender neutral technology, when in reality, women use electricity quite differently from men. Women in Afghanistan have also suffered under more than 30 years of violent conflict. The result has been an almost complete marginalisation of women in all public spheres and an emphasis of the tradition of purdah (seclusion of women in their homes); inhibiting
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Womens shura (village council)

womens access to health care, education and individual freedom. Numerous development projects in rural Afghanistan have set out to enhance womens autonomy and access to resources. However, few have gone beyond conventional womens projects such as dealing with health issues, literacy courses and making of handicrafts or raising cattle. In contrast, since 2005, the development organisation NCA has aided the implementation of solar energy in remote rural villages in Afghanistan. It has trained village men and women as Barefoot Solar Engineers (BSEs) who install and repair the solar equipment. When this study was carried out, the NCA project had solar electrified 917 households in 21 villages in Badakshan, Bamiyan, Dai Kundi, Faryab and Uruzgahan Provinces. The Barefoot Project has shown that a gender perspective is not only significant in relation to energy, but in fact crucial to the optimal use of energy and adds value and multiple benefits to such development projects. Study Objectives and Methodology The objective of the study (Standal, 2008), on which this article is based, was to explore if and how the NCA projects use of the Barefoot Approach in Afghanistan had fostered a transformation of gender roles. The study analysed how a gender approach changed the social and political role of the women in their local communities.

It was based on qualitative interviews undertaken in 4 villages in the Bamiyan Province with women and men trained as BSEs, and local village councils called shuras. Each village has separate women and mens shura. Interviews with key NCA staff and several other Norwegian NGOs working with development projects in Afghanistan were also undertaken. This study found that womens roles were changing in Bamiyan Province partly due to gender mainstreaming in the NCA project. The Barefoot Project in Afghanistan The NCA solar electrification project was implemented in a number of provinces representing different ethnic groups; Hazaras from Dai Kundi and Bamiyan, Pashtuns from Badakshan and Uruzgan and Uzbeks from Faryab. One of the projects aims was to bring different ethnic groups together during the BSE training to exchange ideas and experiences. Local women and men were sent to the Barefoot College in India for 6 months where they were trained in assembling and maintaining solar equipment. The Barefoot Approach aims at providing poor rural communities with the necessary skills and confidence to tackle their own needs and problems. Thus, the implementation process was community-driven; and the communities made a collective decision to implement solar energy 05

The term smart economics refers to empirical findings that correlate womens empowerment and higher family wellbeing and GDP.

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(Photo courtesy Karina Standal)

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(Photo courtesy NCA)

a few women has helped paved the way for gradual societal change as described below. Improving Everyday Life for Women The light from solar energy provides women and their families with new livelihood opportunities and increased income. In the interviews with the shuras in Bamiyan, women reported that households had approximately doubled their income. This was attributed to longer hours of light in the evening enabling more time to be spent on weaving carpets and making handicrafts. The BSEs expressed that their economic resources had also increased because of their salary as BSEs, and the additional income was spent on food, clothes and school material for the children. The communities in the study were of Hazara ethnic origin and the increased financial security made them less dependent on loans from the Pashtun nomads called Kuchis in Bamiyan. According to one of the mens shura in Bamiyan, extreme poverty had earlier forced households to marry off their daughters in exchange for food or money and loans. They claimed that the new income from the implementation of solar energy had ended this practice which further highlights the importance of improving livelihood opportunities to secure womens rights. Implementing solar energy also offered health benefits due to less indoor pollution (as compared to kerosene lamps) and improved nutrition due to more income. For women this is of great importance as they spend the most time indoors and malnourishment and undernourishment lead to increased risks of problems in pregnancy and childbirth. The women and men interviewed in the study emphasised how solar electricity positively affected the psychological well-being of women in relation to interaction with their families and husbands. Portable lanterns made evening visits to other families houses possible. This empowered the women as socialising with other women and communication

between family members increased their agency to make choices in family decision-making. The women stressed how the burden of housework was lightened and how TV, radio and indoor lighting developed time for leisure and conversation between family members. Media has had positive impacts on womens empowerment. The women talked about how they now heard about women rights from Iranian media as Hazara speak a version of Farsi. This offered the women space to advocate for equal opportunities within accepted Islamic values as Iran practices adherence to Islamic law shariah. The men spoke of the new perspective on women that the TV gave them. They saw women portrayed in different settings and roles than before, such as women journalist and politicians, and had a new understanding of womens lives and hardships. New Educational Opportunities Surplus time due to indoor light in the evening has played a significant role in women and childrens education in the villages. All the villages had literacy courses for women, and children had greater opportunity to go to school. The literacy courses gave women opportunities for education and valuable information, included information on hygiene, pregnancy and maternal care. As a result, practically all the villagers started boiling water before drinking it, which has prevented infections and diarrhea. All the interviewees in the study were parents and an important aspiration was the future education of their children. One of the men BSEs described the changes in his community as follows; in his village they used to think that girls should never leave the house because they would be very changed. Especially sending a girl to a foreign country would destroy her (Afghan) mind and culture. After he and his aunt came back from the BSE training in India, the villagers were less frightened of letting girls learn and started sending the girls to school. His aunt has

Solar panels electrifying houses in Habashi village, Bamyan Province

through a binding contract with the NCA. In addition to financing the upfront costs, the NCA pledged to bear the costs of equipment for 5 years, after which the communities have to take ownership and responsibility for the solar panels and equipment. The only conditions were that the communities accommodated a Solar Energy Workshop in the village and paid a monthly salary for 2 local residents trained as BSEs. This monthly salary was to be half the sum the villagers previously used to buy kerosene for their household lanterns. Households in the NCA solar project now have a light installed in each room, an outdoor light and a portable lantern. A man and a woman from each village were selected as BSEs whenever possible, and put in charge of installing and repairing the equipment. The Barefoot Approach traditionally trains women as BSEs. In Afghanistan a married couple or otherwise related were selected. The relation between the man and the woman maintained the practice of a male guardian marham. For a rural Afghan woman to leave her community without a marham ensuring her reputation and safety, could have potentially adverse effects on the project and the woman herself. In some provinces, due to violence in the area or the existence of pashtunwali tribal code (upholding the tradition of strict purdah), only a few women could be trained as BSEs. At the time of the study 7 of the 25 BSEs trained were women. Under these circumstances, training even 06

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appeared on local TV and radio to talk about her experiences from the Barefoot Project, in order to increase awareness on womens abilities. He felt his aunt had made a big achievement for Afghanistan and was proud of her. Such examples highlight how the access to education for women and girls is important to obtain substantial empowerment that will pass the test of time. Capacity Building and Political Participation The implementation of solar energy also gave women opportunities to be involved in community decisionmaking processes. Traditionally in Afghanistan the womens domain is perceived as the household. Women have lacked formal local decisionmaking power as they are perceived by both women and men to be without knowledge on such matters (S.Wakefield, 2004). 2005 was a milestone year in Afghanistan as the Afghan government and the World Bank launched a National Solidarity Program that facilitated womens inclusion in local decision-making processes throughout Afghanistan, resulting in the formation of village womens shuras. The role of women was transformed through the acknowledgement of BSE womens ability to provide services for their people, such as maintaining the solar energy equipment and in community decision-making in the womens shura. Consequently all the
(Photo courtesy NCA)

women BSEs took political positions in the womens shura; this was not the case for the men BSEs where older patterns of authority, such as tribal kinship and age were decisive factors. After the introduction of the womens shura and solar energy the women felt that the men listened to them and they (men and women) worked together. The men interviewed in the study acknowledged these findings and unanimously stated that their perception of womens capabilities had changed after experiencing women BSEs in their local community. This indicates new perceptions of womens capacity to assume political positions in society. Thus, the notion of knowledge as a product of gender is challenged by the influence of the women BSEs and their political role in local communities. Energy as a Tool to Enhance Gender Equality Development projects need to respect the cultures and traditions of the beneficiaries while working towards building recognition, respect and increased decision-making roles for women within their communities. The findings from Afghanistan show how implementation of energy projects in rural villages can provide valuable economic, social and psychological resources for womens empowerment. Further, the added value of women skilled workers as role models provide them space to be heard and participate in community decision-making. In light of the fact that energy is traditionally a male dominated field worldwide, this project in Afghanistan demonstrates that initiatives which build the capacities of women through skills, experience and authority, serve as an example for others. The Barefoot Project exemplifies the potential and necessity for developing energy interventions as a tool to work for gender equality. Only the inclusion of both women and mens perspectives ensure sustainability and optimal use of energy solutions. The Barefoot model continues to be implemented in new villages in the selected provinces and one of the main focuses is to further strengthen the role of women in community institutions.

Standal, K., 2008. Giving Hope and Light in Afghanistan. The Impact of Norwegian Church Aids Barefoot Approach on Women Beneficiaries. University of Oslo. Available at: http://www.duo.uio.no/sok/work. html?WORKID=76872 Wakefield, S., 2004. Gender and Local Decision Making. Findings from a Case Study in Panjao. Afghan Research and Development Unit. Case Studies.

References

Karina Standal currently works with the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo, Norway. She undertook fieldwork in Kabul and Bamiyan, Afghanistan in relation to her master thesis. E-mail: karina.standal@sum.uio.no

PAPERS
e-net welcomes articles for the next issue which will focus on Renewable Energy in the SME Sector. Articles should ideally be based on actual case studies and focus on the implementation / potential implementation of a specific technology / management system us ing community participation. The length of the article can range from 1,500-2,000 words (inclusive of footnotes and references). Illustration, graphs, tables, and photographs are welcome (with sources acknowledged). Please include a brief description of the author and the organisation s/he represents. Articles chosen for publication in the e-net magazine will be subject to editing. Contributors should make themselves available for any clarifications that may be necessary up to the point of publication. Please e-mail all articles to e-net@ sa-energy.net by 30th September 2010. 07

Installation of solar panels

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BIOMASS FUEL EFFICIENCY PROJECT IMPLEMENTED BY TSIRANG WOMEN GROUP, BHUTAN A UNDP GEF Small Grants ProGRAMME
By Dr. Karma Tenzing

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The following article is a case study of an initiative undertaken by the UNDP Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) to introduce fuel efficient stoves in the Tsirang District of Bhutan. One of the main reasons for the Biomass Fuel Efficiency (BFE) projects success was the active participation of the Tsirang Women Group and the formation of beneficiary women groups to manage, implement and maintain the project. The projects success has prompted similar biomass energy related projects by UNDP GEF SGP in Bhutan while also empowering the local women groups under the BFE project to participate in more development initiatives. The tiny eastern Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan is often referred to as the last Shangri-la due to its pristine environment and unique natural and cultural heritage. About 72.5% of the total land area is under forest cover which includes 26.23% protected areas and another 9% as biological corridors (Biodiversity Action Plan for Bhutan, 2002). This environment faces many threats, one of which is the increasing demand for biomass energy. Despite more villages getting connected to grid electricity, approximately 75% of energy for cooking and heating is obtained from firewood1. The BFE Project attempted to address the issue of escalating demand for fuel wood by introducing fuel efficient cook stoves to rural communities in Bhutan with the help of the main collectors and users of this fuel, rural women. The project was implemented in Tsirang. Located in the west-central part of Bhutan, Tsirang District has 12 blocks with an estimated population of 18,667 (Population and Housing Census of Bhutan. 2005). It is one of the most populous districts in the country and due to its high population density and limited
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Women receiving hands-on training on how to make fuel efficient cook stoves

size of government forest area, it is severely affected by fuel wood shortage. The Challenge The problem of increasing scarcity of fuel wood is exacerbated by the use of inefficient traditional mud stoves used for cooking which consume large amounts of fuel wood. A typical traditional stove consumes approximately 7.5 tons of fuel wood/ household annually. The human problems of using such technology are felt mainly by the women, who are forced to travel long distances and spend many hours collecting fuel wood, usually from the nearby government forest. While they are allowed to harvest dry twigs, dead branches and wood from dead/fallen trees, they need a special forest permit to cut trees for fuel wood. Women and children suffer from eye and respiratory problems caused by prolonged exposure to smoke and indoor air pollution. The death rate due to respiratory disease in Bhutan was 7.54/1,000 population in 2008 as per the WHO Health Report (2008). The Project The UNDP GEF SGP supported BFE Project was implemented by the Tsirang Women Group. It was implemented for a total duration of 1 years with a grant of US$ 29,400 for Phase I and US$ 15,000 for Phase II. The BFE Project was a community based project which sought to address some of the environmental and health related

problems faced by rural communities using biomass energy, such as those mentioned above. In order to do this in an effective and sustainable manner, it brought in the Tsirang Women Group formed in the early part of 1999 with 14 members representing the 12 blocks under Tsirang District. The Group was made responsible for the overall project management. In addition, women beneficiaries formed local groups with the support and cooperation of the District Administration, Tsirang and the Ministry of Trade and Industry. As women are the ones who are directly involved in cooking and collecting firewood from the forest, they took up the initiative of improving the existing situation. Participation of these local women group members in project designing, planning, implementation and monitoring was encouraged throughout the project. Participatory planning methods and tools like Participatory Rural Appraisal were used to facilitate maximum participation. The main roles and responsibilities of these local women groups were to promote and create awareness on environmental conservation and protection among villagers. They encouraged others to use improved biomass cooking stoves and provided technical support to build them. The local groups were crucial in reaching out to their fellow villagers. The technical backstopping was provided by the Improved Stove and Biogas Programme, Ministry of

Bhutan consumed 724,597 tonnes of firewood during 2005 (D.B. Dhital, 2009)

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The Results Approximately 700 and 1,520 numbers of improved stoves were installed in Phase I (BHU/99/02) and II (BHU/02/01) respectively with as many numbers of project beneficiary households in all 12 blocks in the district. According to a Participatory Evaluation carried out on the project (Namgyal, U. 2001), the use of improved cook stoves brought down the fuel wood consumption by as much as 50% (approximately 3,800 tons of fuel wood reduced annually). Reduced smoke emissions and burning of fuel wood from the improved stoves meant reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced smoke-induced/related diseases, and reduced indoor and outdoor pollution. One of the other main outcomes of the project was the training of women group members in group mobilisation and stove making. Fourteen members of the Tsirang Women Group were trained as Trainer of Trainers. They in turn trained 700 target women beneficiaries in the communities to become stove technicians, providing them with the skills to construct, maintain and repair the stoves. The stove technicians imparted on-the-job training to the beneficiaries during the installation of the stove on how to carry out minor maintenance and repair work. Stove technicians were also involved in organising public demonstrations to showcase the technology. These stove technicians are farmers who undertook these additional responsibilities on the side. They were paid a daily allowance by the project as were the beneficiaries for their labour. This is in addition to various benefits they received in the form of free maintenance tools and other hardware material for the stove (e.g. grate iron, smokeless outlet aluminium pipe, wood for making stove frames like metal sheet pipes, iron oven door). All the beneficiary household members were made aware of the negative impacts and consequences of high fuel wood

Diagram 1: Fuel Efficient Cook Stove

consumption on the environment and rural livelihood options and opportunities. The social benefits were also equally profound - cleaner kitchen and utensils, ability to keep the food warm longer and the reduced risks of smoke-related illnesses. Cooking time was reduced by almost one third (Namgyel U., 2001). A group saving scheme was also introduced and run by women. A contribution of Nu. 120 (US$ 1 = Nu. 46) was collected from each of its 700 members for the year. The money was used for meeting both social and economic needs (for example, money to start income generating activities and to purchase household essentials). However, this scheme did not survive for more than a year, primarily because of the large number of members spread over a large area. Further efforts on strengthening and consolidation need to be made to ensure the sustainability of such saving schemes. However, the mobilisation skills and saving habits imparted to women involved in the scheme have enabled them to start saving and become members of various farmer group saving schemes (such as vegetable, poultry, dairy) in their own villages. These smaller groups (of 1530 members) are more manageable and respond to the specific needs and priorities of its members. The project also enhanced partnerships between and within the community. Local women groups worked with local government authorities and line ministries. In addition, meetings between village groups increased camaraderie within the villages in the district. (UNDP, 2004) How have the women benefited?

The project has benefited rural women of Tsirang District in many ways. It has enhanced their understanding of environmental and health benefits of using fuel efficient cook stoves, which will go a long way in promoting environmental conservation and sustainable development. The group mobilisation training and group savings scheme have definitely bolstered their organisational and planning skills, thereby increasing their bargaining power in the community. With the introduction of improved cook stoves the time spent on fuel wood collection has reduced by half. Women now have time to invest in vegetable, dairy and poultry farming which brings additional income to the family. Income from such activities ranges from Nu. 2,000 to Nu. 50,000 per year depending on the size and scale of the operations. The time saved is also used for keeping their homestead clean and tidy. In addition, freedom from sickness and other ailments means less medical expenditures. This was also the first project undertaken by the Tsirang Women Group. It provided this group with the skills and experience to go on to work on other similar projects such as the Local Bee Keeping Project supported by UNDP GEF SGP, and to be involved in various activities of the District Administration (such as HIV and AIDS awareness creation). Due to the experience gained from participating and implementing this project, the local women have gained valuable lessons and confidence in their own abilities. Womens empowerment has occurred through the attainment of 09

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(Diagram courtesy UNDP GEF SGP, Bhutan)

Trade and Industry. Thus, the women groups worked with these and other collaborators on the project including government extension staff and officials from the district administration.

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Creating awareness among women villagers

new knowledge and skills. It is reflected in their new-found ability to voice their concerns during village meetings much more confidently than before. Their income generating activities have enabled them to contribute towards their families income. As stated earlier, they are now active members of informal farmer groups on vegetable farming, dairy farming, poultry farming and bee keeping in the district. The BFE project is one of the successful GEF/SGP projects in Bhutan. It demonstrates tangible community development and conservation/ social benefits, strong community commitment, high potential for

sustainability, high level of costefficiency and a link to conserving the environment. The accessibility of the technology was instrumental in its adoption it was low cost and simple to adopt and the stove was made using local resources. This coupled with the eagerness of the local Tsirang people to learn, share experiences and manage the initiative guaranteed the projects success. The project has provided the necessary spark to start a gradual process of social awakening and transformation among women of Tsirang. Its success encouraged UNDP GEF SGP to provide an additional support of US$ 15,000 for a further distribution of 1,520 stoves. To build on the success of this particular project, a GEF Full Sized Project Promoting Sustainable Rural Biomass Energy worth US$ 4.063 million is planned, and is expected to start in April 2011. References
UNDP, 2004. Energy for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific Region: Challenges and Lessons from UNDP Projects, UNDP Dhital D.B., 2009, Bhutan Forestry Outlook

(Photo courtesy of UNDP GEF SGP, Bhutan )

Study - Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study II Working Paper Series, Working Paper No. APFSOS II/WP/2009/04, FAO, Bangkok (available at http://www.fao.org/world/ regional/rap/APFSOS/2009-04Bhutan.pdf) Royal Government of Bhutan, 2001. The Middle Path - National Environment Strategy of Bhutan, National Environment Commission. Thimphu, Population and Housing Census of Bhutan, 2005. Office of the Census Commissioner. Langjupha, Thimphu, Bhutan Ministry of Agriculture Biodiversity, 2002. Action Plan for Bhutan. Royal Government of Bhutan. Namgyal, U., 2001. Project Evaluation on BFE Project Report. Tashigang. WHO Health Report, 2008

Dr Karma Tenzing is the National Coordinator of the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme in Bhutan. The SGP promotes renewable energy technologies like solar lighting and heating; sustainable energy from biomass like biogas from cattle dung and supply of improved cooking stoves as part of mitigating climate change which is one of the GEF focal areas. E-mail: Karma.Tenzing@undp.org

VENTS
PV POWER Bangladesh 2010 Date: 14th to 16th October 2010 Venue: Bangabandhu International Conference Centre Dhaka, Bangladesh PV Power Bangladesh 2010 is an international exhibition on solar photo voltaic power generation. It will provide the biggest meeting place ever held in Bangladesh for global buyers, professionals and suppliers of PV solar generation systems and equipment. The exhibition will also provide an interactive platform for exhibitors to generate business through displays / direct interaction, enhancing the synergy effect and attracting top level professionals from the industry. For any inquiries or additional information you can e-mail cems@ cemsonline.com or contact@pv-expo.net. 10 Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference (DIREC) 2010 Date: 27th to 29th October 2010 Venue: Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida, India DIREC 2010 comprises of multiple events: a global ministerial-level meeting, a trade show, a business conference, and official side events. It will bring together the industry, the financiers, the policy makers, the scientists, the decisionmakers and the buyers and sellers in a bid to develop and drive new initiatives, provide insights, showcase sustainable product development and green business opportunities, and facilitate interaction between entities from all over the world and India. It will be packed with a full-scale trade show with press conferences and product launches, an exciting multi-track business conference and side / parallel events / presentations / interactive sessions. Held over 3 days, it will hold events covering each of the key technologies (wind, solar, hydro, ocean, geothermal, and biomass / biofuels / waste energy), plus crosscutting sessions on markets, finance and policy. DIREC 2010 will be held with the support of national and international sponsors. For further information visit the website www.direc2010.gov.in . SAARC Energy Ministers Meeting 2010 SAARC is scheduled to have the Energy Ministers Meeting of its Member States this year. The dates and venue are to be finalised and will be posted on their website www. saarc-sec.org .
* All event details have been extracted from the respective event websites

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Womens micro-enterprise initiative for sUstainable rUral lighting IN INDIA

By Joseph TD and Benudhar Sutar

energy network

CATALIS, a Development Focus (DF) initiative in India, has been working with poor communities to gain access to home lighting through solar lanterns. The solar lantern programme was designed and implemented by the women members of the community. The programme highlights how womens engagement in microenterprise energy initiatives can change their economic and social standing within their communities. This article is based on experiences from the initial programme initiative in Pereka village, Jharkand, which is now being replicated in 2 other states in India. The Centre for Appropriate Technology and Livelihood Skills (CATALIS) is an initiative of DF1, a national NGO promoted by Edukans, Netherlands. DF is presently working in the 3 most backward states in the country, namely Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. CATALIS has been set up by DF as a resource centre in the state of Orissa for the promotion of appropriate technologies and livelihood skills. It has undertaken a micro-enterprise initiative for providing sustainable lighting solutions for rural communities, through solar lighting devices. Involving rural women in these initiatives has proved to be an effective and sustainable means of ensuring the success of the programme. From the very beginning, CATALIS decided to promote appropriate technologies through community participation, involvement and ownership. It initiated a 3 M approach to promote appropriate technologies in villages; Make, Market and Maintain, which is based on a micro-enterprise model and helps minimise the problems faced by village communities in using appropriate technologies. Based on past experience, CATALIS recognised the
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Training on assembling the solar lantern

importance of showcasing live models of successful initiatives for the villagers to see and believe in, before they adopt a technology. In line with this thinking, CATALIS adopted a few villages as Model Villages (MV) in each of the 3 states and worked towards creating replicable models first. Initially the tribal village of Pereka in Jharkhand was chosen as an MV, and is now being replicated in other villages in Chhattisgarh and Orissa. In Pereka village, in order to build community ownership, a committee was formed with representation from the 3 different hamlets. The need for gender balance was discussed at length with the community (a male dominated society), after which the villagers themselves came forward with the proposal to have 6 women on the 15-member model village committee. The committee assists in the planning and managing of development processes in the village regarding alternative technology. The committee, in collaboration with the staff from CATALIS, did a resource mapping and a needs analysis of the village and came forward with different appropriate technologies to be adopted. The active involvement of women in the resource mapping process helped to motivate them to take part in the process of selection, training and implementation. One of the key areas suggested for initial work by the people was energy with sustainable solutions to home lighting being the main priority. For people in the villages, life comes to a standstill

after dusk. Inadequate lightning is not only an impediment to progress and development opportunities, but also has a direct impact on their health, environment, and safety, as they are forced to light their homes with kerosene lamps, firewood and crop residue. The peoples suggestion was for solar powered lighting, which would ensure kerosene free illumination. The community decided that the solar lighting initiative should be implemented on an entrepreneurial model, facilitated by CATALIS. The conceptual model was developed by CATALIS and materialised after a series of close consultations with the community. Two Self-help Groups (SHGs) were formed Gidan Maskal SHG and Harakan SHG - each with 10 women members. The SHGs were trained to manage and run a solar lantern assembling unit in the village. As the programme progressed womens participation slowly increased and ownership was established as the women SHGs strengthened institutionally. Interestingly, the women groups picked up the assembling work within a very short time through an intensive training led by Mr. Benudhar Sutar, a committed expert in renewable energy in India. The women were trained in areas of business skills, SHG management, conflict resolution and business plan development, as well as technical aspects of solar lanterns. Training was provided in the village itself, which suited the womens daily schedules. This was intentionally done to help them understand that within their daily schedules they can also get 11

DF supports community based organisations in strengthening community based initiatives to promote and improve access to and quality of primary education to the most neglected people in India.

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(Photo courtesy of Ms.Neelam Topo, CATALIS)

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(Photo courtesy of Ms.Neelam Topo, CATALIS )

Solar lantern equipment

trained in different skills and increase the family income along with improving the quality of life of the village. The training modules were made gender friendly and were based on the earn while learn model. The training was scheduled so that its results were visible within the training period itself serving to further encourage and create selfconfidence amongst participants. After meeting the lighting requirements of their own village, the SHG members now assemble solar lanterns (US$ 1 = INR 46.9) on their own (without any assistance from trainers or the programme team). They sell them in the local market as well as to other villages, making a profit of INR 250 to 300 per lantern. These solar lanterns use LEDs (light emitting diodes) which provide a 20 hour back up, as against the prevalent solar lantern models that give a maximum of 4 - 8 hours back up. The SHGs procure the required spare-parts from a reliable supply source. Within 6 months, the SHGs have assembled and marketed approximately 800 lanterns in the vicinity. As solar lanterns meet the lighting needs, there has also surfaced a need for mobile phone chargers. With additional training, the women could also venture into providing mobile phone battery charging services through solar charging units, which would give them an additional source of income. Currently, 20 women are involved in the solar lighting programme undertaking different activities such as procurement, assembling and maintenance, accounting and marketing. The initial capital for the entrepreneurial initiatives was partially provided by a local NGO (LEADS), while the rest was sourced from the savings of the SHGs. During 12

Through the CATALIS initiative, people have been made aware of the potential use of solar lanterns for various livelihood generation activities. Apart from providing reliable lighting to the households, the model facilitated new entrepreneurial ventures being taken up by women such as leaf plate making (with the help of solar lanterns after sunset). Ownership and Sustainability As the initiative is fully owned by the villagers and provides sustained incomes, there is incentive for it to be carried forward sustainably by the villagers. When scaling up, the venture would have to face challenges like developing a real business plan, processing the demand and supply chain, and creating and servicing sustainable markets. To resolve these issues, business expansion within the village needs to be accompanied by support from resource organisations. As this is a group initiative, the group can access resources from the government or bank for group activities. The overall results of the model were as follows: Ensuring reliable, kerosene-free illumination, reducing womens drudgery, leading to a safe environment and better health, and Empowering the rural women SHG members to assemble solar lanterns - enabling them to address future maintenance issues within the village, and Facilitating entrepreneurship development among rural communities, and Enabling children to study beyond daylight hours. Lessons Learned from the CATALIS initiative CATALIS, at the very start of the initiative, decided to take this as a community programme and not a project. The initial interaction and the needs analysis through resource mapping helped

Children studying using solar lanterns

them identify the needs of the people and respond accordingly. The large participation of women in resource mapping (out of 40 participants, 2/3rds were women) helped them to motivate the women to take the lead role in promoting appropriate technologies in the village. This initiative was a learning experience and demonstrated that rural women can play the roles of energy service providers. In order to do so, they need a variety of capacity building and other inputs, both technical and non-technical in nature. The following are some of the lessons which emerged from the experience. Need based capacity building is essential to enhance the capacity of women and to help them address their basic needs. The technological option offered should be simple and easily transferable to enable the community to adopt it. Rural energy technologies are most sustainable when they are promoted as an enterprise model, which gives opportunity for income generation, in addition to meeting basic needs. This model is presently being replicated in 2 other villages in the Chhattisgarh and Orissa states of India. Joseph TD, CATALIS Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. Joseph TD is a practitioner of community based promotion of appropriate technology and livelihood skills in India. E-mail. josejuby@rediffmail.com Benudhar Sutar is a freelance consultant on renewable energy and the environment and a promoter of decentralised energy sources, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. E-mail: benudharsutar@gmail.com

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(Photo courtesy of Ms.Neelam Topo, CATALIS)

the initial stages the profits were channelled into the groups capital fund as direct investment to the business. Now, 40% of the profit goes into the capital fund and 60% is divided equally among group members.

Gender, EnergY and HUman Development in Nepal PolicY Perspectives

By Ishara Mahat

energy network

In Nepal, 85% of total energy demand is met through biomass that includes firewood (76%), agricultural residue, and animal waste (WINROCK, 2004). This has huge socio-cultural, economic and environmental impacts, particularly on rural women - the main collectors and users of such fuel. The following article describes the impacts of continued use of traditional forms of energy technologies and fuels on human development, especially on women and girls, linking it to the inadequate access to modern energy services and an absence of gender sensitive energy policies. It highlights the authors views regarding the energy policies and delivery mechanisms in Nepal and outlines her recommendations for future improvement. Energy is one of the central aspects of human life as it affects quality of life, livelihoods, agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability, health care and job creation. It influences the lives of the poor, especially women, as they spend much of their time and income on accessing energy for their basic needs and energy related activities. Women often spend a considerable amount of time travelling substantial distances over difficult terrain to collect firewood. They suffer back problems from carrying heavy wood loads (40 kg are not unusual) and face less recognised threats of rape and beatings (Cecelski 2004, UNDP, 1997). In
( Photo courtesy of Nalini Lamichane )

many cases, uterine prolapses and miscarriages among rural women in Nepal are attributed to women carrying heavy firewood (Earth and Sthapit, 2002; Haile, 1991; UNDP, 1997). A study in Nepal indicated that the highest percentage of infant mortality is associated with acute respiratory infection, mainly caused by indoor air pollution (Pandey, 1989) resulting from the burning of biomass in poorly ventilated kitchens.

eye problems and headaches, caused primarily by the burning of biomass fuels, while a few had gone through uterine prolapse and miscarriages as well. In addition, most young girls had dropped out from school, limiting their employment opportunities. Economic Deprivation Absence of sufficient and quality energy hinders economic growth and efficiency, restricting households

Figure 1: Biomass energy and human development

Implications of Biomass Energy Use on Human Development Figure 1 presents how, conventionally, the use of biomass energy using inefficient, labour intensive technologies, causes multiple deprivations within rural households. This negatively affects human wellbeing, freedom and development. Social Deprivation Burning biomass indicates the low accessibility to alternative fuels by the poorest households and highlights equity concerns. The associated social deprivation affects womens health, and restricts their choices and capacity for production and reproduction. For instance, at the time of the authors visit to Kavre District1, most women in impoverished villages of Kavre had
1

A womans workload A woman carrying firewood and her child

Kavre is one of the central districts located in the mid hill region of Nepal with its populace mainly engaged in agricultural activities.

ability to start new ventures and energy based enterprises. Despite the availability of alternative energy technologies (AETs), such as solar, biogas and micro hydro plants, there were few opportunities for women to be involved in income generating activities such as local handicrafts and dairy production. This is because most energy provision initiatives have focused on electrification, and do not adequately meet cooking and heating needs nor provide energy for livelihood activities. Income generating activities had been taken up only by a handful of Kavre households on a small scale (such as incense making, soap production, garlic production) with the availability of lighting. The limited coverage of these technologies in the Kavre villages, mainly due to economic reasons (only 18% of households in Kavre have access to solar lighting), has created further inequalities within the small communities. 13

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Ecological Deprivation Using biomass for energy (especially selling firewood for fuel) aggravates the depletion of forest resources, impacting the livelihoods of poor local communities, particularly women, who rely on forest produce such as fodder, firewood and food from the ecosystem for their daily needs (OECD, 2002; Mahat, 2009). Rural women in Kavre District have little access to firewood from community forests which are protected. At the time of the authors visit, the national forest was dry and almost denuded due to deforestation. Thus, women were forced to spend almost a day collecting firewood from private forests, once or twice a week, located far away from their villages exposing them to risks such as being caught by owners for stealing firewood and paying penalties. Cultural Deprivation Culture refers to the collective identity of a group of people to follow a way of life of their choice. Thus, cultural freedom protects not only the group but also the rights of every individual within it (Matilla and Seppl, 2000). Despite being the main utilisers of household energy, women have less say in decisions regarding energy interventions (such as whether energy units should be installed and how they should be managed). In addition, women often do not know how to repair and maintain these technologies as the training and extension services target men, forcing women to rely on male community members / technicians who are not always available at the time a technical fault occurs. This in turn discourages women from adopting and using such technologies. Such restrictions have stifled womens personal development. It is thus worth mentioning that building capabilities and providing opportunities serve as basic prerequisite for human development and human freedom, as mentioned by Sen (1999). Energy Policy and Programmes At present, the energy policy makers in developing countries have placed 14

supports the executing agencies such as BSP (Biogas Sector Partnership) and REDP (Rural Energy Development Programme) for an effective delivery of services with its central focus to promote the renewable energy technologies. However, its policy has little to say on participatory planning at local level to incorporate the energy needs and priorities of both men and women. There has been little effort to bring gender perspectives into energy policy analysis in Nepal. Energy planning without an integration of social indicators, such as womens empowerment and poverty reduction, has limited impact on the overall development of the community. Most rural energy interventions in Nepal under the Tenth Five Year Plan (20032008) make no linkage between energy and womens empowerment. On the other hand, in environmental policy, the plan has underlined gender sensitisation and building womens capacity and leadership in order to ensure access to, and control over, resources related to forestry and soil conservation. Although the renewable energy sector acknowledges the need for AETs to promote better energy services in rural areas it does not recognise women as participants or agents of alternative energy generation and development. Nepals usual policy statements for both traditional and alternative energy technologies have been gender blind in their situational analysis, setting of objectives, and identification of strategies (Bhadra, 2004). This Implies that gender concerns are not a matter of priority for policy makers which is the greatest challenge for addressing the gender issues in the energy sector. However, in the Tenth Five Year Plan, there has been an effort to help meet energy needs for cooking (a need felt mostly by women),focusing on short term vs. long term energy delivery plans. These plans call for an increased coverage of biogas plant use in the short term and the integrated use of micro hydro plants for cooking in the long term (NPC, 2008).

Cooking with poor ventilation

more emphasis on large energy projects, such as the construction of large hydropower plants, which focus on electrification and place relatively little attention on meeting other household energy needs such as energy for cooking. The community forestry programmes in Nepal, which were designed towards preserving local forests, could potentially address the cooking energy needs of rural communities. However the preference, in terms of species to be grown, seems to be towards timber production rather than firewood production. The challenge remains for the integration of sustainable forestry with livelihood promotion especially for the poor, despite the economic value of high value timber growth and non-timber products (Kanel and Dahal, 2008). Most of the energy interventions in Nepal have been targeted at economic growth rather than energy equity. For instance, the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre2 (AEPC) in Nepal has no clear policy agenda with regard to community energy plans and policies nor for the implementation of energy projects except for its role of managing the donor funds and subsidies for alternative energy technologies (Mahat, 2009). AEPC
2

The AEPC is a government institution established with the objective of developing and promoting renewable/ alternative energy technologies in Nepal.

(Photo courtesy of Nalini Lamichane)

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Nepals Rural Energy Policy of 2006 (REP 2006) draws from the REDP model and aims at promoting clean energy technologies (such as micro hydro, solar, wind and biomass energy) to reduce rural poverty and environmental degradation. Measures to provide alternative sources to fuel wood and provide improved cook stoves and energy for water delivery are highlighted. These would serve to reduce womens drudgery. Specific attention has also been placed on including women in community mobilisation efforts. The policy recognises the fact that rural energy is directly linked to activities traditionally carried out by the women, and as such programmes of rural energy technology will be implemented considering it as an integral part of the womens enabling activities. (Section 10.6, REP 2006) What is missing in the policy are the specific measures by which womens development processes will be integrated into the RE initiatives and the efforts and monitoring mechanisms to be taken by AEPC and other central and district level institutions to ensure this takes place. The ability of the poor to afford modern energy services is also an issue. Any new interventions on household energy have to be integrated with a package program such as market and credit facilities, user-directed training on the use and maintenance of technologies, and a phase-wise monitoring program. This will help ensure the affordability, adoptability, gender sensitivity and reliability of new technologies. It is time to think about the type of fuel technologies and the delivery mechanism that can help to make a large scale transition away from traditional biomass cooking for the majority of poor. Recommendations The following strategies are recommended as ways of integrating gender sensitisation into energy policies and to see its translation into approaches in program formulation and implementation.

Integrate energy access into the process of formulation and im plem ent at ion of nat ional development strategies to meet the energy demands of the poor and recognise the specific energy demands of women. Strengthen the capacity of local authorities, such as Village and District Development Committees, to undertake gender based participatory planning and budgeting, energy assessment and to manage the delivery of energy services. Develop the capacity of local actors such as communities (both men and women), NGOs, smallsized enterprises, and financial institutions to enable them to identify the energy needs and priorities of local communities, including women, and respond to them accordingly. Promote extension services on the use and implications of renewable energy technologies as well as for repair and maintenance of these technologies so as to make them user friendly, increasing the adoptability and reliability of such technologies and their replication nation wise for enhancing better energy services, Ensure country-level coordination through discussions among development partners to help harmonise and bring alignment in assistance initiatives on national energy access priorities and for integrated gender sensitive social and economic development. References
Bhadra, C., 2004. Study on the Effectiveness of Programmes Targeted to Women (A Summary). Hamro Sansar (A World of Our Own). A Journal of Womens Studies, 3, Womens Studies Programme, Tribhuvan University, Nepal Cecelski, E., 2004. Re-thinking Gender and Energy: Old and New directions. Energy, Environment and Development (EED), ENERGIA/EASE Discussion Paper Earth, B. and Sthapit, S., 2002. Uterine Prolapse in Rural Nepal: Gender and Human Rights Implications. A Mandate for Development, Vol.4 (3), pp. 281-296 Haile, F., 1991, Women Fuel wood Carriers

in Addis Ababa and the Peri-Urban Forest. International Labor Organization (ILO). Geneva Kanel R.K & Dahal, R.G., 2008. Community Forestry Policy and Its Economic Implications: An Experience from Nepal. International Journal of Social Forestry, Vol.1(1) pp. 50-60 Mahat, I., 2009. Gender and Rural Energy Technologies in Nepal: Planning and Policy Perspectives. VDM Verlag, USA & UK Mattila, V.A. and Seppl P., 2000. Navigating Culture: A road map to Culture and Development, Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Department for International Development Cooperation, Helsinki, Finland MOE, 2006. Rural Energy Policy 2006. Ministry of Environment, His Majestys Government, Nepal OECD. 2002. Poverty-EnvironmentGender Linkages. Off-Print of the DAC Journal 2001, Volume 2, (4) Paris: OECD Pandey, M.R., 1989. Domestic Smoke Pollution and Acute Respiratory Infections in a Rural Community of the Hill Region of Nepal. Environment International, Vol. 15, pp. 331-340 Sen, A., 1999. Development as Freedom, UK: Oxford University Press. The 10th Five Year Plan 2003 2008, NPC/ National Planning Commission. 2008. His Majestys Government, Nepal UNDP, 1997. Human Development Report, UNDP: New York WINROCK, 2004. Household Energy, Indoor Air Pollution and Health Impacts Status Report for Nepal, WINROCK International

Ms. Ishara Mahat is a development practitioner whose present research focuses on energy poverty and how that affects human development, particularly the well-being of rural mountainous women in Nepal. She has worked for over 10 years on areas concerning gender, alternative energy technologies and womens empowerment in Nepal. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Western Ontario. E-mail: imahat2@uwo.ca or ishara. mahat@gmail.com

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Gender AUdit of the National EnergY Policies in India

By Jyoti Parikh and Saudamini Das

energy network

A gender audit is the analysis of programmes and policies from a gender perspective to identify gender biases so that future policy planning is reoriented to achieve gender equality. This article covers the gender audit of the national energy policies of India carried out by the Institute for Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe), with support from ENERGIA. It found the energy scene in India, particularly the household energy sector, to be biased against women. In the 11th Five Year Plan, a meagre 2% of the total budgetary allocation of the energy sector goes towards alleviating the drudgery of women. This is inadequate given that women collect 28% of the energy in the form of biomass (which constitutes 70% of household energy consumption). The lack of access to finance, training and asset ownership have stood in the way of womens participation in the countrys energy sector. Gender Analysis of National Energy Policy in India A gender audit, unlike a financial audit which examines if a business has correctly followed the established financial rules and regulations, is like a social audit that evaluates policies and their implementation from the angle of gender. It provides substantial benefits, both for the direction of existing policies and for future planning, bringing in gender mainstreaming and gender sensitivity to processes and outcomes in order to achieve gender equality. It identifies areas where efforts need to be made for the allocation of budgets or resources for advancing the status of women and the disadvantaged groups. It is a widely prevalent phenomenon that women face a distinct disadvantage and discrimination in their access to affordable and clean energy, even though they are a primary protagonist of the energy cycle. A gender analysis of national energy policies finds out whether it is men or women who have access and control over energy sources; whether men and women are 16

positively or negatively impacted by the policy or programme, and how a given situation can be improved. In spite of adopting gender equality as a socially desirable goal at the policy level, the government effort and the energy policies in India continue to remain unresponsive to gender issues in the energy sector. By and large, the skilled work and decision making in the energy sector has remained male dominated. On the other hand, the supply and use of biomass and its associated negative health impacts are shouldered mostly by women. Gender and energy issues in India, facts and figures: 625 million people in India do not have access to modern cooking fuels, out of which 300 million do not even have access to electricity (Census of India 2001; Parikh J et al 2007). Of the energy used in poor Indian households, 70% comes from non-commercial fuels or traditional fuels such as fuel wood, agricultural waste and animal dung that are primarily managed by women (ibid). The 11th Five Year Plan (20072012) of the government expects to invest close to US$ 100 billion in the entire energy sector comprising of coal, oil, gas, nuclear, and renewable energy, of which less than 2% may go to alleviate the drudgery of women and children who collect close to 28% of energy in the form of biomass or non commercial energy (Planning Commission, 2006, 2008).

In this background a gender audit of the National Energy Policy was carried out in India by IRADe, New Delhi and supported by ENERGIA: the International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy. The audit was carried out at 3 different levels macro, meso and micro levels. At the macro level the audit analysed the level of investment, the type of management and the technology needed to ensure a sustainable supply of traditional energy. Secondly, at the meso-level it examined the policies and programmes of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, that relate to household energy. Thirdly, a micro or beneficiary level analysis was undertaken to assess the impact on end users. The beneficiary analysis depended on case studies based on a questionnaire survey and focus group discussions. Objectives The specific objectives of the gender audit were: To identify and assess gender gaps in energy policies and programmes the mismatch between commitments and implementation, and To work with stakeholders to formulate strategies and actions that could address these gaps at the national level, and To make gender and energy issues visible to wide audiences in ways that support national and international networking and advocacy initiatives aiming to influence energy policies and programmes.
(Photo courtesy ENERGIA)

Workshop on Gender Audit of National Energy Policies in India, 2007, New Delhi, India

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Methodology The methodology used was a multipronged strategy involving literature reviews, a background study of gender, energy and poverty issues, checklists, structured interviews, case studies and focus group discussions with officials from relevant ministries. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used for analysis. Also, a unique gender rating system was designed to rank the 10th Plan budgetary allocation of the MNREs various programmes in delivering benefits to women. This system helped in providing a quantitative indicator measuring the gender-responsiveness of the programmes and resonated well with the policy makers. Highlighted below are the main gaps identified by the audit as well as recommendations to ministries on how to address them. The gaps have been divided into: 1) policy related issues and the systemic problems within the structural set-up of the ministries, and 2) weaknesses in programme design and implementation methods. The proposed recommendations address the above issues with knowledge sharing, networking, capacity building and gender sensitive policy. Findings and Identified Gaps Policy makers failure to recognise gender impacts of policies and provide adequate support to implementers Traditional biomass that is collected and used by women, primarily for cooking, accounts for 25% to 30% of Indias primary energy consumption. In spite of being such a large energy resource, the level of national investments in the management and conversion technology of traditional biomass is limited and no ministry has a mandate to ensure its sustainable supply. This is contrary to the enormous state support provided to modern renewable energy technologies which supply only 2% to 10% of national

energy. The 11th Five year plan has allocated US$ 100 billion dollars for commercial energy. A budget analysis of the MNREs 10th Five Year Plan calculated that only about 13% of the ministrys budget addressed womens specific energy needs. (It should be noted that these figures are only indicative given the limitations of the study in terms of funds, time and scope.) Biomass fuels are likely to remain the primary fuels for processing heat and cooking for years to come. The 11th Five Year Plan has targeted to provide easy access to fuel wood by having plantations within one kilometre of all habitations. Targets should also include providing other clean and affordable forms of cooking energy to reduce womens drudgery, the time they lose in gathering fuel and the health impacts of indoor air pollution. Structural inefficiencies and weak programme design Programmes fail to focus on equality issues and encourage wom ens par t icipat ion. Important barriers to womens participation in renewable energy projects are their lack of access to financial resources, their lack of ownership of productive resources such as land, inadequate technical education and training, and unequal power relations in the household. None of the existing programmes collect gender-disaggregated data, and this makes it difficult to assess the impacts and benefits of any policies and schemes on womens wellbeing. The energy programmes for women have failed to recognise the potential contribution that energy services could make to womens empowerment and have been limited to meeting their immediate needs for cooking and lighting.

The lack of coordination and an effective inter-ministerial setup, involving the various energy ministries and other ministries dealing in non-commercial energy, has led to poor supply networks and inefficient delivery mechanisms. This has had disproportionate impacts on womens wellbeing and economic development. Recommended actions Gender sensitive energy policy Strengthen the goal of establishing fuel wood plantations within 1 km of all habitations to include access to other fuels such as LPG, kerosene and biogas. Provide finance and capacity building support to womens groups in organising fuel wood plantations at village level. Such organisations could encourage women farmers in particular, to actively participate in energy management and village decision-making processes. This would reduce the transaction costs of inputs and outputs to energy enterprises (such as wood lots, biogas, solar energy, LPG) at the local level, and the gaps between policy commitments and implementation. Streamline institutional structure and providing ministries with adequate support Develop a working relationship between ministries, in conjunction with regular consultative meetings with MNRE, with the priority of developing genderresponsive programmes and operationalising the goal of having cooking fuels within 1km of rural habitations. Publish an annual report that shows the benefits of energy systems in improving womens social status, increasing their employment and their 17

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(Photo courtesy ENERGIA)

the empowerment and well-being of women is ensured in the inclusive growth path that the planning commission has visualised for India.
Census of India, 2001. Tables on Houses, Household Amenities and Assets. Census of India Housing Micro Data Sample. Office of the Register General and Census Commissioner. Ministry of Home Affairs. Government of India, New Delhi IRADe, 2009. Gender Analysis of Renewable Energy In India: Present status, Issues, Approaches and new Initiatives MNRE, 2006. Report of the Working Group on New and Renewable Energy for XI Five Year Plan (2007-12). Government of India. MNRE, 2007, 25 years of Renewable Energy in India. Government of India. Parikh, J. 2007, Mainstreaming gender into Energy Policies in India. In When Energy is Womens Business ENERGIA, pp 92-95. Planning Commission, 2008. Eleventh Five Year Plan 2007-12, Vol. III (Chap 10, Section V). Oxford University Press. New Delhi Planning Commission, 2007. The Report of the Steering Committee on Empowerment of Women and Development of Children for the Eleventh Plan. Government of India. Planning Commission, 2006. The Integrated Energy Policy: Report of the Expert Committee. Government of India.

References

Stakeholders Consultation and Dissemination Workshop on the Gender Audit, 2008, New Delhi, India

decision-making within communities and households, and the percentage of energy assets managed and owned by women. Give a mandate to MNREs Gender Budgeting Cell (GBC) to collaborate and advise GBCs in other ministries on how to integrate energy into their programmes. Gender auditing should be made an easily accessible tool to be used by ministries to assess how each ministry uses its financial resources to address womens practical, productive, and strategic energy needs. Incorporate the experiences of NGOs and other private sector organisations in MNRE programmes and planning processes. It is also important for the ministry to address the gender imbalance in its staffing. Right programme design and the right tools Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) using strategic gender indicators should be made a regular and compulsory part of ministerial programme cycles. This will strengthen the accountability of various ministries, in terms of their performance on gender and 18

energy. Identification and clear articulation of gender goals in the preparation of energy programmes using explicit and measurable variables and indicators. Set up a mechanism within MNRE to ensure that the budget earmarked to address women-specific needs is utilised while simultaneously instituting a clear mandate for more programmes to incorporate gender-responsive goals and activities. Develop training and capacity building programmes within each ministry on understanding and using gender budgets. Concluding Remarks The recommendations of the audit report were endorsed with appreciation by the MNRE and the Planning Commission, Government of India. The gender audit found that the energy policy in India does not adequately recognise the contribution of women to the primary energy needs of the country. Further, there are structural inefficiencies which work against women in participating in, and benefiting from, energy projects and programmes. Actions are recommended to strengthen the gender sensitive policies and to remove the structural defects at the policy formulation level so that

Prof. Jyoti Parikh is the Executive Director of IRADe and was the team leader for the Gender Audit Project supported by ENERGIA. She is a member of the Prime Ministers Climate Council and has done considerable work on Energy policy and modelling as well as in gender and energy. E-mail: jparikh@irade.org Dr. Saudamini Das is an Associate Professor at the SSN College of University of Delhi and associated with IRADe as a part time consultant. E-mail: sdas_28@yahoo.co.in

2010

SOUTH ASIA ELECTRONIC FORUM DISCUSSIONS

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The South Asia Electronic forum conducted 2 separate discussions (summarised below) during the last half year. Post Copenhagen South Asias response Held between 22nd March and 6th April 2010 the above e-discussion was moderated by Eng. Nar Bahadur Khatiwora, from the Renewable Energy Division at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Bhutan. The question posed to the forum was - Which countries walked away most pleased with the proceedings of COP 15 in Copenhagen last December? Are they not the nations that have the most polluting energy mix? The COP 15 talks held in December 2009 fell far short of the worlds expectations. The hopes and aspirations of climate change experts and hundreds of affected countries were shattered. The final outcome was one with no concrete action plans. The UNFCCC is now gearing for COP 16 (to be held in Cancun, November 2010) to bring concrete action plans on board. However, the answer is not straightforward. In short, it is nice to think of a politically led solution but the reality is that this is simply not possible among millions of diverse opinions. In the end it will be up to the local communities, the business groups and individuals to drive the change. The response of the forum members was diverse. There was a critical debate on development and carbon emissions. Some members felt that the South Asian region should not deter its development by trying to reduce CO2 emissions, and that the major polluters (the highly industrialised nations) should start reducing emissions. The other group of members were of the opinion that the definition of

development itself should change, and all nations should shift to lifestyles and economies that take into account the long term sustainability of the environment and society. One issue highlighted during the discussion was that a long term solution towards sustainable development is being blocked by short sighted multinational organisations. Many members held the opinion that to counter this action South Asia should work towards a common agenda as the population and resource strength of the region can exert a strong voice at global forums. One member stated that instead of pointing the finger at each other we should take the lead and show the rest of the world what sustainable development is. This opinion was shared by other members and a supportive argument came through which suggested including measurements such as gross national happiness as development indicators. Overall, most of the members were of the opinion that we should continue to work for a solution, rather than waiting until the next global summit. A detailed report on the discussion outcome is available online in the forum. Biogas for wastewater treatment - a novel technology The next discussion, held on the above topic (between 4th May and 11th May 2010), was the first time the forum conducted a discussion on introducing a specific technology. Conducted in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Biogas Association the discussion was moderated by Eng. Athula Jayamanne, the Vice President of the association. According to Mr. Jayamanne the desiccated coconut industry is a

widespread industry in South Asia. The wastewater generated during the production of desiccated coconut provides a good nutrition value for biogas production but is harmful to the environment if released without treatment. This is a common problem in many coconut growing countries as desiccated coconut manufacturing factories emit high-strength, lowdegradable wastewater that has a low pH value. By adding 3 anaerobic filter reactors to the biogas technology the system is able to degrade the wastewater and produce biogas reducing the unhealthy organic content in the release water to a minimum. Most of the members had questions regarding the application of this technology in other sectors such as hotels and garment factories. Some members queried the economic viability of the technology as opposed to separating chemicals from coconut water and using it for vinegar production. The moderators response was that the technology is applicable to any industry which produces organic wastewater with low pH value, and the economic viability is much higher compared to separating chemicals from the coconut water for small and medium scale industries. Members were grateful for being introduced to the new technology and opined that this system will be taken up in the South Asian region successfully. We thank all those who participated in the above e-discussions. We are pleased to announce that as at 01st August the forum membership had grown to 440 members. e-net looks forward to hosting further discussions on energy related issues which affect the poor. e-net team www.sa-energy.net

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