Gender Mainstreaming in Energy - Need - Revision history

Ranisha at 11:02, 21 September 2020

2020-09-21T11:02:07Z

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Ranisha at 12:21, 29 July 2020

2020-07-29T12:21:35Z

Ranisha: /* Need for Gender Mainstreaming in Energy */

2020-06-06T19:36:05Z

Need for Gender Mainstreaming in Energy

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Ranisha at 14:00, 4 June 2020

2020-06-04T14:00:50Z

Ranisha: /* Missed opportunity for End Use of Electricity */

2020-06-04T13:59:51Z

Missed opportunity for End Use of Electricity

Ranisha: /* Unequal Decision-making power */

2020-06-04T13:57:30Z

Unequal Decision-making power

Ranisha at 13:55, 4 June 2020

2020-06-04T13:55:39Z

Ranisha at 13:47, 4 June 2020

2020-06-04T13:47:22Z

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Ranisha at 13:45, 4 June 2020

2020-06-04T13:45:32Z

Ranisha: /* Gender Mainstreaming in Mini-grid */

2020-06-04T13:43:14Z

Gender Mainstreaming in Mini-grid

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:21, 29 July 2020
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	[[Category:Gender]]		[[Category:Gender]]
		+	[[Category:Energy_Access]]

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 === Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Safety<br/> ===
-Women and girls usually have to travel to far-off distance for collecting firewood and other communal resources. Hence, they can become victims of gender-based violence or get bitten by other insects or snakes along the way or in the forest<ref name="Energypedia, 2019">Energypedia. (2019). Integration of gender issues. Retrieved December 27, 2019, fromhttps://energypedia.info/wiki/Integration_of_Gender_Issues#Options_for_Integrating_Gender_Issues_into_Energy_Projects</ref>. Unelectrified public spaces limit the women’s ability to go out in the evening and get involved in other income-generating activities. It also increases the crime or sexual violence faced by women in dimly lit or unelectrified spaces<ref name="IIaria, 2019">IIaria, B. (2019). Gender impacts of energy access. Retrieved December 6, 2019, fromhttps://energypedia.info/wiki/Gender_Impacts_of_Energy_Access</ref>. Thus, electrifying public spaces makes it safer for women. A study in Tunisia found that girls felt safer going to school in the morning after street lights were installed along the way to the school<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Li64201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>.<br/>
+Women and girls usually have to travel to far-off distance for collecting firewood and other communal resources. Hence, they can become victims of gender-based violence or get bitten by other insects or snakes along the way or in the forest<ref name="Energypedia, 2019">Energypedia. (2019). Integration of gender issues. Retrieved December 27, 2019, from https://energypedia.info/wiki/Integration_of_Gender_Issues#Options_for_Integrating_Gender_Issues_into_Energy_Projects</ref>. Unelectrified public spaces limit the women’s ability to go out in the evening and get involved in other income-generating activities. It also increases the crime or sexual violence faced by women in dimly lit or unelectrified spaces<ref name="IIaria, 2019">IIaria, B. (2019). Gender impacts of energy access. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from https://energypedia.info/wiki/Gender_Impacts_of_Energy_Access</ref>. Thus, electrifying public spaces makes it safer for women. A study in Tunisia found that girls felt safer going to school in the morning after street lights were installed along the way to the school<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Li64201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>.<br/>
 Electrification can also help to reduce the domestic violence within the household<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Li64201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>. A study in Afghanistan found that after houses were electrified, the women reported reduced domestic violence. Previously, when the child cried in the dark, the husband would get irritated and use violence against the wife. After electrification, if the child cried at night, the women would immediately switch on the light and silent the child<ref name="Standal, 2010">Standal, K. (2010). Giving light and hope in rural afghanistan: enlightening women’s lives with solarenergy. Retrieved from  https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/16072</ref>. Another study in rural India found that television which was introduced after electrification reduced the domestic violence rate and increased the rate of girls going to school<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Li64201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>.<br/>

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 Energy appliances themselves also have a gender connotation to them and this affect the choice of appliances by the men and women. For example, appliances such as electric saw, water pumps and loudspeakers are usually viewed as male appliances whereas cooking appliances such as cook stoves are viewed as female appliances<ref name="Winther et al., 2020">Winther, T., Ulsrud, K., Matinga, M., Govindan, M., Gill, B., Saini, A., … Murali, R. (2020). In the light ofwhat we cannot see: Exploring the interconnections between gender and electricity access. EnergyResearch and Social Science, 60. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629619306000</ref>. Thus, with the unequal decision-making power, the men might be first interested in investing in male appliances and then on female appliances.<br/>
 === Missed opportunity for End Use of Electricity ===
-For a energy project to be successful, the beneficiaries (both male and women) need to be involved in all stages of the project's life cycle. This will help to identify the electricity demand for sizing the renewable energy system and identifying the potential end use activities as well as the communities’ willingness to pay<ref name="UNDP, 2001b">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from  https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. This all contributes towards the sustainability of the energy sytem and the community can also reap maximum benefits. However, field experiences have shown that RE projects without specific gender mainstreaming activities do not capture the need of the women and this ultimately led to the failure of the project<ref name="Skutsch, 1998">Skutsch, M. M. (1998). The gender issue in energy project planning Welfare, empowerment orefficiency? Energy Policy, 26(12), 945–955. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421598000378</ref>.
+For a energy project to be successful, the beneficiaries (both male and women) need to be involved in all stages of the project's life cycle. This will help to identify the electricity demand for sizing the renewable energy system and identifying the potential end use activities as well as the communities’ willingness to pay<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. This all contributes towards the sustainability of the energy sytem and the community can also reap maximum benefits. However, field experiences have shown that RE projects without specific gender mainstreaming activities do not capture the need of the women and this ultimately led to the failure of the project<ref name="Skutsch, 1998">Skutsch, M. M. (1998). The gender issue in energy project planning Welfare, empowerment orefficiency? Energy Policy, 26(12), 945–955. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421598000378</ref>.
 An electrification program in rural Zanzibar did not include gender mainstreaming activities in its first phase, assuming the planned activities to be gender-neutral. In the second phase, when they explicitly involved women, they found out that the end use of electricity acess did not include women’s needs. Two key institutions i.e. the village mills and the kindergarten that were of highest priority to the women were not electrified. Since men are not involved in flour milling or child-care and thus these institutions were not included in demand assessment in the first phase of the electrificaiton program<ref name="Winther, 2011">Winther, T. (2011). Electricity’s effect on gender equality In rural Zanzibar, Tanzania. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3cv9gpe</ref>.

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 Different socio-economic factors determine how electricity is used in the household. Some of them are discussed below:
 === Unequal Decision-making power ===
-In most rural households, men hold the decision making power about what kind of electric appliances can be bought<ref name="J. S. Clancy, Skutsch, & Batchelor, 2002">Clancy, J. S., Skutsch, M., & Batchelor, S. (2002). The gender-Energy-Poverty NEXUS: Finding theenergy to address gender concerns in development. Retrieved from https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-gender-energy-poverty-nexus-finding-the-energyto-address-gen</ref>. Women’s opinions are either less valued or not heard during decision-making<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from  https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. This means that men could either buy those appliances that mostly benefit them or could reject any new appliances that benefit women<ref name="J. S. Clancy et al., 2002">Clancy, J. S., Skutsch, M., & Batchelor, S. (2002). The gender-Energy-Poverty NEXUS: Finding theenergy to address gender concerns in development. Retrieved from https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-gender-energy-poverty-nexus-finding-the-energyto-address-gen</ref>.<br/>
+In most rural households, men hold the decision making power about what kind of electric appliances can be bought<ref name="J. S. Clancy, Skutsch, & Batchelor, 2002">Clancy, J. S., Skutsch, M., & Batchelor, S. (2002). The gender-Energy-Poverty NEXUS: Finding theenergy to address gender concerns in development. Retrieved from https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-gender-energy-poverty-nexus-finding-the-energyto-address-gen</ref>. Women’s opinions are either less valued or not heard during decision-making<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. This means that men could either buy those appliances that mostly benefit them or could reject any new appliances that benefit women<ref name="J. S. Clancy, Skutsch, & Batchelor, 2002">Clancy, J. S., Skutsch, M., & Batchelor, S. (2002). The gender-Energy-Poverty NEXUS: Finding theenergy to address gender concerns in development. Retrieved from https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-gender-energy-poverty-nexus-finding-the-energyto-address-gen</ref>.<br/>
 In a study in Zimbabwe, although women were the ones cooking, it was the men who decided on the adoption of the solar cookers. In some cases, they even rejected solar cookers, although it was beneficial to the women<ref name="Tucker, 1999">Tucker, M. (1999). Can solar cooking save the forests? Ecological Economics, 31, 77–89. Retrievedfrom https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800999000385</ref>.<br/>
 Another study in Kenya, Nepal and India found that women not only had less decision-making power in terms of what electric appliances to buy but also about where to install them (e.g. will the lights be installed in kitchens or the common room?). This lack of decision-making power reflects the already existing gender gaps in these countries<ref name="Winther et al., 2020">Winther, T., Ulsrud, K., Matinga, M., Govindan, M., Gill, B., Saini, A., … Murali, R. (2020). In the light ofwhat we cannot see: Exploring the interconnections between gender and electricity access. EnergyResearch and Social Science, 60. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629619306000</ref>. In female-headed rural households, the decisions might represent women’s preferences, but they are also highly influenced by the prevalent gender rules and cultural restrictions. Female-headed households are also generally poorer than male-headed and have limited purchasing power for new electric appliances. In a female-headed household where the husband is working abroad, the decision-making power could be strengthen by the remittance money send back home<ref name="Winther et al., 2020">Winther, T., Ulsrud, K., Matinga, M., Govindan, M., Gill, B., Saini, A., … Murali, R. (2020). In the light ofwhat we cannot see: Exploring the interconnections between gender and electricity access. EnergyResearch and Social Science, 60. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629619306000</ref>.<br/>
 === Unequal access to resources<br/> ===

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 === Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Safety<br/> ===
-Women and girls usually have to travel to far-off distance for collecting firewood and other communal resources. Hence, they can become victims of gender-based violence or get bitten by other insects or snakes along the way or in the forest<ref name="Energypedia, 2019">Energypedia. (2019). Integration of gender issues. Retrieved December 27, 2019, fromhttps://energypedia.info/wiki/Integration_of_Gender_Issues#Options_for_Integrating_Gender_Issues_into_Energy_Projects</ref>. Unelectrified public spaces limit the women’s ability to go out in the evening and get involved in other income-generating activities. It also increases the crime or sexual violence faced by women in dimly lit or unelectrified spaces<ref name="IIaria, 2019">IIaria, B. (2019). Gender impacts of energy access. Retrieved December 6, 2019, fromhttps://energypedia.info/wiki/Gender_Impacts_of_Energy_Access</ref>. Thus, electrifying public spaces makes it safer for women. A study in Tunisia found that girls felt safer going to school in the morning after street lights were installed along the way to the school<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development whatare the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/Resources/244362-1164107274725/3182370-1164201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>.<br/>
+Women and girls usually have to travel to far-off distance for collecting firewood and other communal resources. Hence, they can become victims of gender-based violence or get bitten by other insects or snakes along the way or in the forest<ref name="Energypedia, 2019">Energypedia. (2019). Integration of gender issues. Retrieved December 27, 2019, fromhttps://energypedia.info/wiki/Integration_of_Gender_Issues#Options_for_Integrating_Gender_Issues_into_Energy_Projects</ref>. Unelectrified public spaces limit the women’s ability to go out in the evening and get involved in other income-generating activities. It also increases the crime or sexual violence faced by women in dimly lit or unelectrified spaces<ref name="IIaria, 2019">IIaria, B. (2019). Gender impacts of energy access. Retrieved December 6, 2019, fromhttps://energypedia.info/wiki/Gender_Impacts_of_Energy_Access</ref>. Thus, electrifying public spaces makes it safer for women. A study in Tunisia found that girls felt safer going to school in the morning after street lights were installed along the way to the school<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Li64201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>.<br/>
-Electrification can also help to reduce the domestic violence within the household<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development whatare the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/Resources/244362-1164107274725/3182370-1164201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>. A study in Afghanistan found that after houses were electrified, the women reported reduced domestic violence. Previously, when the child cried in the dark, the husband would get irritated and use violence against the wife. After electrification, if the child cried at night, the women would immediately switch on the light and silent the child<ref name="Standal, 2010">Standal, K. (2010). Giving light and hope in rural afghanistan: enlightening women’s lives with solarenergy. Retrieved from  https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/16072</ref>. Another study in rural India found that television which was introduced after electrification reduced the domestic violence rate and increased the rate of girls going to school<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development whatare the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/Resources/244362-1164107274725/3182370-1164201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>.<br/>
+Electrification can also help to reduce the domestic violence within the household<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Li64201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>. A study in Afghanistan found that after houses were electrified, the women reported reduced domestic violence. Previously, when the child cried in the dark, the husband would get irritated and use violence against the wife. After electrification, if the child cried at night, the women would immediately switch on the light and silent the child<ref name="Standal, 2010">Standal, K. (2010). Giving light and hope in rural afghanistan: enlightening women’s lives with solarenergy. Retrieved from  https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/16072</ref>. Another study in rural India found that television which was introduced after electrification reduced the domestic violence rate and increased the rate of girls going to school<ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Li64201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>.<br/>
 === Women Empowerment<br/> ===
-Access to electricity increases the income generating opportunities for women, especially in small micro enterprise such as washing and ironing clothes, selling prepared food and beauty parlors <ref name="Barron & Torero, 2014">Barron, M., & Torero, M. (2014). Electrification and time allocation: Experimental evidence from NorthernEl Salvador. Retrieved from  https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/63782/1/MPRA_paper_63782.pdf</ref><ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development whatare the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/Resources/244362-1164107274725/3182370-1164201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>. A study found that access to electricity increased female employment by almost 10% in newly electrified communities in South Africa<ref name="Dinkelman, 2011">Dinkelman, T. (2011). The effects of rural electrification on employment: New evidence from SouthAfrica. The American Economic Review, 101(7), 3078–3108. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/41408731?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents</ref>. Another study in Nicaragua found that after reliable electricity, the percentage of rural women working outside increased by 23%, resulting in increased income for these households<ref name="IEA, 2017">IEA. (2017). Energy access outlook 2017: From poverty to prosperity. Retrieved from https://w</ref>. It is observed that when women receive extra income, they are also most likely to invest it in the betterment of their children and homes as compared to men<ref name="Glemarec, Bayat-Renoux, & Waissbein, 2016">Glemarec, Y., Bayat-Renoux, F., & Waissbein, O. (2016). Removing barriers to women entrepreneurs’engagement in decentralized sustainable energy solutions for the poor. AIMS Energy, 4(1), 136–172. Retrieved from  http://www.aimspress.com/journal/energy</ref>. Thus, access to increased income not only benefits the women but the entire family.<br/>
+Access to electricity increases the income generating opportunities for women, especially in small micro enterprise such as washing and ironing clothes, selling prepared food and beauty parlors <ref name="Barron & Torero, 2014">Barron, M., & Torero, M. (2014). Electrification and time allocation: Experimental evidence from NorthernEl Salvador. Retrieved from  https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/63782/1/MPRA_paper_63782.pdf</ref><ref name="Köhlin et al., 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Li64201144397/3187094-1173195121091/Energy-Gender-Development-SD125.pdf</ref>. A study found that access to electricity increased female employment by almost 10% in newly electrified communities in South Africa<ref name="Dinkelman, 2011">Dinkelman, T. (2011). The effects of rural electrification on employment: New evidence from SouthAfrica. The American Economic Review, 101(7), 3078–3108. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/41408731?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents</ref>. Another study in Nicaragua found that after reliable electricity, the percentage of rural women working outside increased by 23%, resulting in increased income for these households<ref name="IEA, 2017">IEA. (2017). Energy access outlook 2017: From poverty to prosperity. Retrieved from https://w</ref>. It is observed that when women receive extra income, they are also most likely to invest it in the betterment of their children and homes as compared to men<ref name="Glemarec, Bayat-Renoux, & Waissbein, 2016">Glemarec, Y., Bayat-Renoux, F., & Waissbein, O. (2016). Removing barriers to women entrepreneurs’engagement in decentralized sustainable energy solutions for the poor. AIMS Energy, 4(1), 136–172. Retrieved from  http://www.aimspress.com/journal/energy</ref>. Thus, access to increased income not only benefits the women but the entire family.<br/>
 Involving women in renewable technologies also challenges the statuesque about what a woman can or cannot do as energy jobs are mostly considered man’s domain. In Kenya, women were trained as solar technicians and later hired to repair solar lanterns and install solar panels in the village. In a follow-up survey, men reported that seeing women solar technicians changed their perception about what a woman can or cannot do. The women, on the other hand, reported feeling more&nbsp; tconfident and empowered, after the training<ref name="Winther, Ulsrud, & Saini, 2018">Winther, T., Ulsrud, K., & Saini, A. (2018). Solar powered electricity access: Implications for women’sempowerment in rural Kenya. Energy Research and Social Science, 44, 61–74. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629618303694</ref>.
@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 For a energy project to be successful, the beneficiaries (both male and women) need to be involved in all stages of the project's life cycle. This will help to identify the electricity demand for sizing the renewable energy system and identifying the potential end use activities as well as the communities’ willingness to pay<ref name="UNDP, 2001b">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from  https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. This all contributes towards the sustainability of the energy sytem and the community can also reap maximum benefits. However, field experiences have shown that RE projects without specific gender mainstreaming activities do not capture the need of the women and this ultimately led to the failure of the project<ref name="Skutsch, 1998">Skutsch, M. M. (1998). The gender issue in energy project planning Welfare, empowerment orefficiency? Energy Policy, 26(12), 945–955. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421598000378</ref>.
-An electrification program in rural Zanzibar did not include gender mainstreaming activities in its first phase, assuming the planned activities to be gender-neutral. In the second phase, when they explicitly involved women, they found out that the end use of electricity acess did not include women’s needs. Two key institutions i.e. the village mills and the kindergarten that were of highest priority to the women were not electrified. Since men are not involved in flour milling or child-care and thus these institutions were not included in demand assessment in the first phase of the electrificaiton program<ref name="Winther, 2011">Winther, T. (2011). Electricity’s effect on gender equality In rural Zanzibar, Tanzania. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tanja_Winther/publication/241875587_Electricity’s_effect_on_gender_equality_in_rural_Zanzibar_Tanzania_case_study_for_Gender_and_Energy_World_Development_Report_Background_Paper/links/557068d008aeffcab353be05/Electrici</ref>.
+An electrification program in rural Zanzibar did not include gender mainstreaming activities in its first phase, assuming the planned activities to be gender-neutral. In the second phase, when they explicitly involved women, they found out that the end use of electricity acess did not include women’s needs. Two key institutions i.e. the village mills and the kindergarten that were of highest priority to the women were not electrified. Since men are not involved in flour milling or child-care and thus these institutions were not included in demand assessment in the first phase of the electrificaiton program<ref name="Winther, 2011">Winther, T. (2011). Electricity’s effect on gender equality In rural Zanzibar, Tanzania. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3cv9gpe</ref>.
 === Local Knowledge of Natural Resources ===
-Women are knowledgeable of natural resources such as water resources and various flora and fauna in their surroundings<ref name="Balakrishnan, 2000">Balakrishnan, L. (2000). Renewable energy as income generation for women. Renewable Energy, 19(1–2), 319–324. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148199000476?via%3Dihub</ref>. However, this indigenous knowledge of women is often considered non-scientific and not valued<ref name="Cecealski, 2000">Cecealski, E. (2000). The role of women in sustainable economic development. Retrieved from https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy00osti/26889.pdf</ref>. Taking into account the women’s knowledge can help in better planning of the RE system<ref name="Mahat, 2011">Mahat, I. (2011). Gender, energy, and empowerment: A case study of the Rural Energy DevelopmentProgram in Nepal. Development in Practice, 21(3), 405–420. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233010033_Gender_energy_and_empowerment_a_case_study_of_the_Rural_Energy_Development_Program_in_Nepal</ref><ref name="UNDP, 2013">UNDP. (2013). Women and natural resources unlocking the peacebuilding potential. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/crisisprevention/WomenNaturalResourcesPBreport2013.pdf</ref><ref name="UNDP & ENERGIA, 2004">UNDP, & ENERGIA. (2004). Gender and energy for sustainable development: A toolkit and resource guide. Retrieved from
+Women are knowledgeable of natural resources such as water resources and various flora and fauna in their surroundings<ref name="Balakrishnan, 2000">Balakrishnan, L. (2000). Renewable energy as income generation for women. Renewable Energy, 19(1–2), 319–324. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148199000476?via%3Dihub</ref>. However, this indigenous knowledge of women is often considered non-scientific and not valued<ref name="Cecealski, 2000">Cecealski, E. (2000). The role of women in sustainable economic development. Retrieved from https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy00osti/26889.pdf</ref>. Taking into account the women’s knowledge can help in better planning of the RE system<ref name="Mahat, 2011">Mahat, I. (2011). Gender, energy, and empowerment: A case study of the Rural Energy DevelopmentProgram in Nepal. Development in Practice, 21(3), 405–420. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233010033_Gender_energy_and_empowerment_a_case_study_of_the_Rural_Energy_Development_Program_in_Nepal</ref><ref name="UNDP, 2013">UNDP. (2013). Women and natural resources unlocking the peacebuilding potential. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/crisisprevention/WomenNaturalResourcesPBreport2013.pdf</ref><ref name="UNDP & ENERGIA, 2004">UNDP, & ENERGIA. (2004). Gender and energy for sustainable development: A toolkit and resource guide. Retrieved from  https://bit.ly/3czsMkc </ref>. E.g. while measuring the water table for micro hydro, rural women can be consulted as they might have a&nbsp; good understanding of the water flow in different seasons.

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 = Gender Mainstreaming in Mini-grid<br/> =
@@ Line 7: / Line 6: @@
 = Need for Gender Mainstreaming in Energy<br/> =
-Men and women access and use energy for different purposes and therefore lack of it also affects them differently<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved fromhttps://www.undp.org/content/dam/aplaws/publication/en/publications/environment-energy/wwwee-library/sustainable-energy/generating-opportunities-case-studies-on-energy-andwomen/GeneratingOpportunities_2001.pdf</ref>. This is because access to and use of energy is determined by differnet factors such as their gender roles in the society, the kind of work they do and the resources they have access to.
+Men and women access and use energy for different purposes and therefore lack of it also affects them differently<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. This is because access to and use of energy is determined by differnet factors such as their gender roles in the society, the kind of work they do and the resources they have access to.
 Understanding these gendered use/impacts of energy helps in designing sustainable energy solutions that benefit both men and women equally. Gender mainstreaming also acknowledges women’s contribution and involves them in all stages of the reneweable system design. It also helps to limit any negative impact that could occur due to the gender blind planning&nbsp; process and policies<ref name="Cecealski, 2000">Cecealski, E. (2000). The role of women in sustainable economic development. Retrieved fromhttps://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy00osti/26889.pdf</ref>.
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 === Impact on Health<br/> ===
-In rural areas, women are the ones responsible for cooking. They use traditional fuels such as firewood, cow-dung and other biomass for cooking. Traditional cook stoves such as the three-stone fire are mostly used for cooking. These cookstoves are highly inefficient and release toxic air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and benzene. Since the kitchens are also poorly ventilated, women are then exposed to [[Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)|indoor air pollution]]. 2 million people worldwide, mostly women and children die each year from indoor air pollution<ref name="Habtezion, 2012">Habtezion, S. (2012). Gender and energy. Retrieved fromhttps://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/gender/Gender andEnvironment/PB3_Africa_Gender-and-Energy.pdf</ref><ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved fromhttps://www.undp.org/content/dam/aplaws/publication/en/publications/environment-energy/wwwee-library/sustainable-energy/generating-opportunities-case-studies-on-energy-andwomen/GeneratingOpportunities_2001.pdf</ref>. The use of traditional fuels such as kerosene lamps and candles for lighting also result in fire burn and indoor air pollution<ref name="Köhlin, Sills, Pattanayak, & Wilfong, 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from
+In rural areas, women are the ones responsible for cooking. They use traditional fuels such as firewood, cow-dung and other biomass for cooking. Traditional cook stoves such as the three-stone fire are mostly used for cooking. These cookstoves are highly inefficient and release toxic air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and benzene. Since the kitchens are also poorly ventilated, women are then exposed to [[Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)|indoor air pollution]]. 2 million people worldwide, mostly women and children die each year from indoor air pollution<ref name="Habtezion, 2012">Habtezion, S. (2012). Gender and energy. Retrieved fromhttps://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/gender/Gender andEnvironment/PB3_Africa_Gender-and-Energy.pdf</ref><ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. The use of traditional fuels such as kerosene lamps and candles for lighting also result in fire burn and indoor air pollution<ref name="Köhlin, Sills, Pattanayak, & Wilfong, 2011">Köhlin, G., Sills, E. O., Pattanayak, S. K., & Wilfong, C. (2011). Energy, gender and development what are the linkages? where is the evidence? Retrieved from
 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228269025_Energy_Gender_and_Development_What_are_the_Linkages_Where_is_the_Evidence</ref>.<br/>
-As mentioned above, women have to collect and carry firewood over a long distance. Across African countries, IEA estimates that women carry fuel loads that weigh from'''25 to 50 kg''' <ref name="UNEP, 2017">UNEP. (2017). Atlas of Africa: Energy resources. Retrieved fromhttps://www.icafrica.org/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Africa_Energy_Atlas.pdf</ref>. It is physically challenging to carry such heavy loads and result in health problems such as backache and miscarriages<ref name="Mahat, 2011">Mahat, I. (2011). Gender, energy, and empowerment: A case study of the Rural Energy DevelopmentProgram in Nepal. Development in Practice, 21(3), 405–420. Retrieved fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/233010033_Gender_energy_and_empowerment_a_case_study_of_the_Rural_Energy_Development_Program_in_Nepal</ref><ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved fromhttps://www.undp.org/content/dam/aplaws/publication/en/publications/environment-energy/wwwee-library/sustainable-energy/generating-opportunities-case-studies-on-energy-andwomen/GeneratingOpportunities_2001.pdf</ref>. Solutions such as electric cooking could provide clean alternative to traditional fuels and reduce the burden on women.
+As mentioned above, women have to collect and carry firewood over a long distance. Across African countries, IEA estimates that women carry fuel loads that weigh from'''25 to 50 kg''' <ref name="UNEP, 2017">UNEP. (2017). Atlas of Africa: Energy resources. Retrieved fromhttps://www.icafrica.org/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Africa_Energy_Atlas.pdf</ref>. It is physically challenging to carry such heavy loads and result in health problems such as backache and miscarriages<ref name="Mahat, 2011">Mahat, I. (2011). Gender, energy, and empowerment: A case study of the Rural Energy DevelopmentProgram in Nepal. Development in Practice, 21(3), 405–420. Retrieved fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/233010033_Gender_energy_and_empowerment_a_case_study_of_the_Rural_Energy_Development_Program_in_Nepal</ref><ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. Solutions such as electric cooking could provide clean alternative to traditional fuels and reduce the burden on women.
 Access to electricity in hospitals is another crucial need. More than 60% of health facilities in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to electricity and over 70% of medical devices in developing countries fail due to unreliable power supply<ref name="IEA, 2017">IEA. (2017). Energy access outlook 2017: From poverty to prosperity. Retrieved fromhttps://www.gogla.org/sites/default/files/resource_docs/weo2017specialreport_energyaccessoutlook.pdf</ref>. In poor energy situations, the medical staffs also refer to flashlights or kerosene lamps for lighting. This increases the risk of giving birth at night and also affects the neo-natal care of the babies. Hence, access to reliable electricity for health centers could greatly improve healthcare facilities for both men and women<ref name="Mikul et al., 2018">Mikul, B., Nicolina, A., Ruchi, S., Elisa, P., Elaine R., F., Susan, W., … Carlos, D. (2018). Access tomodern energy services for health facilities in resource-constrained settings. Retrieved fromhttps://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/156847</ref>.
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 === Unequal Decision-making power ===
-In most rural households, men hold the decision making power about what kind of electric appliances can be bought<ref name="J. S. Clancy, Skutsch, & Batchelor, 2002">Clancy, J. S., Skutsch, M., & Batchelor, S. (2002). The gender-Energy-Poverty NEXUS: Finding theenergy to address gender concerns in development. Retrieved fromhttps://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-gender-energy-poverty-nexus-finding-the-energyto-address-gen</ref>. Women’s opinions are either less valued or not heard during decision-making<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved fromhttps://www.undp.org/content/dam/aplaws/publication/en/publications/environment-energy/wwwee-library/sustainable-energy/generating-opportunities-case-studies-on-energy-andwomen/GeneratingOpportunities_2001.pdf</ref>. This means that men could either buy those appliances that mostly benefit them or could reject any new appliances that benefit women<ref name="J. S. Clancy et al., 2002">Clancy, J. S., Skutsch, M., & Batchelor, S. (2002). The gender-Energy-Poverty NEXUS: Finding theenergy to address gender concerns in development. Retrieved fromhttps://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-gender-energy-poverty-nexus-finding-the-energyto-address-gen</ref>.<br/>
+In most rural households, men hold the decision making power about what kind of electric appliances can be bought<ref name="J. S. Clancy, Skutsch, & Batchelor, 2002">Clancy, J. S., Skutsch, M., & Batchelor, S. (2002). The gender-Energy-Poverty NEXUS: Finding theenergy to address gender concerns in development. Retrieved fromhttps://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-gender-energy-poverty-nexus-finding-the-energyto-address-gen</ref>. Women’s opinions are either less valued or not heard during decision-making<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. This means that men could either buy those appliances that mostly benefit them or could reject any new appliances that benefit women<ref name="J. S. Clancy et al., 2002">Clancy, J. S., Skutsch, M., & Batchelor, S. (2002). The gender-Energy-Poverty NEXUS: Finding theenergy to address gender concerns in development. Retrieved fromhttps://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-gender-energy-poverty-nexus-finding-the-energyto-address-gen</ref>.<br/>
 In a study in Zimbabwe, although women were the ones cooking, it was the men who decided on the adoption of the solar cookers. In some cases, they even rejected solar cookers, although it was beneficial to the women<ref name="Tucker, 1999">Tucker, M. (1999). Can solar cooking save the forests? Ecological Economics, 31, 77–89. Retrievedfrom https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800999000385</ref>.<br/>
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 === Missed opportunity for End Use of Electricity ===
-For a energy project to be successful, the beneficiaries (both male and women) need to be involved in all stages of the project's life cycle. This will help to identify the electricity demand for sizing the renewable energy system and identifying the potential end use activities as well as the communities’ willingness to pay<ref name="UNDP, 2001b">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved fromhttps://www.undp.org/content/dam/aplaws/publication/en/publications/environment-energy/wwwee-library/sustainable-energy/generating-opportunities-case-studies-on-energy-andwomen/GeneratingOpportunities_2001.pdf</ref>. This all contributes towards the sustainability of the energy sytem and the community can also reap maximum benefits. However, field experiences have shown that RE projects without specific gender mainstreaming activities do not capture the need of the women and this ultimately led to the failure of the project<ref name="Skutsch, 1998">Skutsch, M. M. (1998). The gender issue in energy project planning Welfare, empowerment orefficiency? Energy Policy, 26(12), 945–955. Retrieved fromhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421598000378</ref>.
+For a energy project to be successful, the beneficiaries (both male and women) need to be involved in all stages of the project's life cycle. This will help to identify the electricity demand for sizing the renewable energy system and identifying the potential end use activities as well as the communities’ willingness to pay<ref name="UNDP, 2001b">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>. This all contributes towards the sustainability of the energy sytem and the community can also reap maximum benefits. However, field experiences have shown that RE projects without specific gender mainstreaming activities do not capture the need of the women and this ultimately led to the failure of the project<ref name="Skutsch, 1998">Skutsch, M. M. (1998). The gender issue in energy project planning Welfare, empowerment orefficiency? Energy Policy, 26(12), 945–955. Retrieved fromhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421598000378</ref>.
 An electrification program in rural Zanzibar did not include gender mainstreaming activities in its first phase, assuming the planned activities to be gender-neutral. In the second phase, when they explicitly involved women, they found out that the end use of electricity acess did not include women’s needs. Two key institutions i.e. the village mills and the kindergarten that were of highest priority to the women were not electrified. Since men are not involved in flour milling or child-care and thus these institutions were not included in demand assessment in the first phase of the electrificaiton program<ref name="Winther, 2011">Winther, T. (2011). Electricity’s effect on gender equality In rural Zanzibar, Tanzania. Retrieved fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tanja_Winther/publication/241875587_Electricity’s_effect_on_gender_equality_in_rural_Zanzibar_Tanzania_case_study_for_Gender_and_Energy_World_Development_Report_Background_Paper/links/557068d008aeffcab353be05/Electrici</ref>.
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 === Financial Benefit ===
-Involving women within the operation and management of RE systems also has financial benefits. As compared to young men, married women are more likely to stay in the village taking care of the family and not migrate to the cities for better opportunities, resulting in low turn-over of operators<ref name="Angelou & Roy, 2019">Angelou, N., & Roy, S. (2019). Integrating gender and social dimensions into energy interventions inAfghanistan. Retrieved fromhttps://energypedia.info/images/2/21/Integrating_Gender_and_Social_Dimensions_into_Energy_Interventions_in_Afghanistan.pdf</ref>. This reduces the cost of training new operators. Women are also aware of their local context/culture and know the potential customers for the RE systems. They have first-hand experience of how access to energy could make their life easier so it is easier for women to interact with other women and share information about the end use of the electricity<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved fromhttps://www.undp.org/content/dam/aplaws/publication/en/publications/environment-energy/wwwee-library/sustainable-energy/generating-opportunities-case-studies-on-energy-andwomen/GeneratingOpportunities_2001.pdf</ref>.
+Involving women within the operation and management of RE systems also has financial benefits. As compared to young men, married women are more likely to stay in the village taking care of the family and not migrate to the cities for better opportunities, resulting in low turn-over of operators<ref name="Angelou & Roy, 2019">Angelou, N., & Roy, S. (2019). Integrating gender and social dimensions into energy interventions inAfghanistan. Retrieved fromhttps://energypedia.info/images/2/21/Integrating_Gender_and_Social_Dimensions_into_Energy_Interventions_in_Afghanistan.pdf</ref>. This reduces the cost of training new operators. Women are also aware of their local context/culture and know the potential customers for the RE systems. They have first-hand experience of how access to energy could make their life easier so it is easier for women to interact with other women and share information about the end use of the electricity<ref name="UNDP, 2001a">UNDP. (2001a). Generating Opportunities: Case studies on energy and women. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/374fDyv</ref>.
 Hence, involving women helps to acquire new creditworthy customers at a low cost. This has already been demonstrated by women entrepreneurs selling solar home systems<ref name="Glemarec et al., 2016">Glemarec, Y., Bayat-Renoux, F., & Waissbein, O. (2016). Removing barriers to women entrepreneurs’engagement in decentralized sustainable energy solutions for the poor. AIMS Energy, 4(1), 136–172. Retrieved from http://www.aimspress.com/journal/energy</ref>.<br/>