Context: 

This editorial is based on the news “Gender equality as the plank of sustainable development” which was published in the Hindu. Women Empowerment and Gender Equality are fundamental to achieving sustainable energy for all.

Women Empowerment and Gender Equality In Energy Sector

• Primary responsibility: Women often bear the primary responsibility for household energy management worldwide, including cooking, heating, and lighting.
• Limited access to energy sources: However, the energy infrastructure tends to reach women last and as a result the access to modern energy sources is limited.
• Resort to traditional forms of energy: The absence of clean and reliable energy forces women to resort to traditional and harmful alternatives like biomass and kerosene.
  • Household air pollution, largely due to reliance on these alternatives, results in 3.2 million premature deaths annually, with 60% affecting women and children.
• Women in Energy sector: The energy sector exhibits significant gender disparity, with women representing only 32% of full-time employees in renewable energy and 22% in the overall energy sector, compared to 48% in the global labour force.
  • In India, a mere 10% of women hold technical positions in the energy sector, reflecting educational disparities, limited opportunities for technical skills, and inequitable company policies.

Bridging the Gender Gap in Energy Sector

• Mainstream gender in energy policies: 
  • There should be a change in perception towards women’s role in energy sector.
  • Concerted efforts are required  to mainstream gender in energy policies at the sub-national, national and international levels. 
• Role of Various institutions: Governments, non-state actors, international institutions and philanthropic organisations have a critical role to play in providing an enabling environment to promote women’s meaningful participation in the sustainable energy transition.
• Example–  Solar Mamas is one inspirational initiative started in India by Barefoot College to train illiterate women to become solar engineers, bringing clean power and light to their communities.

Conclusion

It is evident that empowering women in energy sector is not just the right thing to do. It is also a smart investment in our collective future.