Gender equality important in energy development

Source: The post gender equality important in energy development has been created, based on the article “Gender equality as the plank of sustainable development” published in “The Hindu” on 9th March 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 1 – Society- Social empowerment and GS Paper 3 – Economy -Infrastructure – Energy

News: This article discusses how gender equality and women’s involvement are crucial for sustainable energy development.

Why is gender equality important in energy development?

Crucial Role in Household Energy Management: Women primarily manage household energy for cooking, heating, and lighting, showing their integral role in energy consumption.

Impact of Energy Inequality on Health: Limited access to clean energy forces women to use harmful alternatives like biomass, leading to significant health risks and deaths.

Economic and Environmental Benefits: Gender equality in the energy sector can drive economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Innovative Solutions and Productivity: Increasing women’s participation in energy can lead to more innovative approaches, improved productivity, and enhanced social outcomes.

Global Impact: Closing the gender gap could boost global GDP by trillions of dollars, showing the vast potential of women’s empowerment in energy.

What are the challenges in achieving gender equality in the energy sector?

Limited Energy Infrastructure Access: Women often receive energy access last, impacting their ability to manage household energy needs efficiently.

Reliance on Harmful Energy Sources: Due to inadequate access to modern energy, women resort to using traditional sources like biomass and kerosene. This leads to significant health risks, with household air pollution causing 3.2 million premature deaths annually, 60% of whom are women and children.

Low Representation in the Energy Sector: The energy sector is not gender diverse. Only 32% of employees in renewable energy and 22% overall are women, compared to 48% in the global workforce. In India, only 10% of technical energy jobs are held by women.

Educational and Skill Disparities: Women face barriers in accessing education and training needed for technical roles in energy, further widening the gender gap.

What should be done?

Change Perceptions: Alter societal views on women’s roles in the energy sector to recognize their potential as key contributors.

Mainstream Gender in Energy Policies: Integrate gender considerations at sub-national, national, and international policy levels to ensure women’s needs and contributions are addressed.

Support Women-led Initiatives: Back programs like the Women at the Forefront and the Energy Transitions Innovation Challenge (ENTICE), which encourage women’s entrepreneurship in sustainable energy.

Promote Educational and Skill Development: Facilitate women’s access to education and training, especially in technical fields within the energy sector.

Implement Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Projects: Utilize DRE to provide quick, affordable energy access, reducing women’s workload and enhancing productivity, as seen in initiatives like Solar Mamas in India.

Question for practice:

Discuss how gender equality contributes to sustainable energy development and what challenges hinder achieving gender equality in the energy sector.