Energy Enabling Women:

Past, Present, Future

byJacky Scholz

Namibian Electricity Control Board

African Utility WeekCape Town

8 – 10 May 2006

Introduction

Why does gender matter?Women perform 2/3 of the world’s work;

Women earn 1/10 of the world’s income;

Women constitute 2/3 of the world’s illiterates;

Women own less than 1/100 of the world’s property;

Women face a higher ratio of unemployment, 5:8 when compared to men;

More than half of poor people in the world are found in rural areas and more than half the rural poor are women

Introduction (cont’)

Following a few pictures of energy events from Namibia

ECB Kenya Visit

ECB Uganda Visit

Issue of 2nd RED licence

SADC Energy Conference

Single Buyer Workshop

Tariff Workshop

ECB House Inauguration

The (Brief) History of Women and Energy

Women’s history with energyThe role of electricitySection 95 of the Hague Forum’s Background Paper on Gender EqualityEarth Summit II Implementation ProgrammeThe developing world

Energy Saving Time

Energy saves time

Second World War

Women enter job market

The Appliances of Ms Frederick

The Use of Energy TodayAngola

Wood and charcoal provide 56% of primary energy supplyBiomass is the source of 85% of household energy consumptionElectricity 1% – 2 %LPG – 9%Kerosene – 5%

BotswanaMain source of household energy is woodElectricity only available in urban areasWood – 69%Petroleum – 19%Coal – 5.6%Electricity – 5.8%

LesothoResidential energy consumption accounts for more than 85% of total consumption2% - 3% households electrified

The Use of Energy TodayMalawi

Wood provides about 93% of Malawi’s energy, mainly for household4% of population has access to electricityLess than 1% of rural homes are electrified

MozambiqueAlmost all rural households use firewood for cooking40% of urban households use firewood for cooking50% of rural and 3% of urban households use wood for lightingLess than 25% of urban households have electricity

Namibia10% - 15% of rural homes have access to electricity76% of urban homes have access to electricity73% - 93% of rural households rely on biomass75% of rural homes and 40% of urban homes use wood for cooking

The Use of Energy TodaySwaziland• 2% of households connected to grid• 90% of gross energy in rural areas is from wood compared with

57% for urban areas and 21% for company townsZambia• Wood fuel provides 68% of total energy supply• Household consumption accounts for 88% of wood fuel use

Electricity v GDP

Correlation between GDP and electricity consumption stronger than between GDP and total energy use, each per personIf GDP increases x100, electricity demand increases x1000Unemployment most effective means of reducing electricity demandFull employment requires more electricityWorking people need energy

Energy and Fertility & Infant Mortality

Increase in population = increase in electricity demand

Correlation between fertility and infant mortality and electricity consumption per person

“No power is as expensive as no power”

Underlines opportunities and improved circumstances energy provides to women

Link between poverty, energy, health, education and gender empowerment

Energy and the Rural Women

Role of women in energy policies & decisionsChoice of energySA Figures:

11% of workforce (1% = black women)4% of management (- 1% = black women)

Home Lighting/Connection Point Preferences of Women and Men – Ghana ProjectWomen MenKitchen (food preparation) House Entertainment area (play Workroom (to earn income) cards, watch TV, etc)Bathroom (to wash children)In rural areas (developing countries) cooking is women’s largest single energy use (80% of household energy use)Restrictive access to creditLow energy consumption and geographic remoteness preclude extension of conventional electricity grid

Energy and the Rural Women

Rural women primary responsible for collection, distribution and purification of energy and water to sustain families

Activity Fuel use

Beer brewing 1kg wood/litre beer

Rice parboiling 1kg wood/0.4 kg rice

Bread making 0.8 – 1.5 kg wood/kg bread

Fish smoking 5 – 12 kg wood/kg smoked fish (40% of processing cost)

Oil pressing 0.43 kg wood/litre oil

Gari cassava processing

1kg wood/4kg gari / cassava

Lives of the Rich better than the Poor

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Ho

urs

Poor

Rich

Negative Impact on WomenArduous and time consuming fuel collectionTime consuming cooking methodsNegative nutritional impactsNegative health impactsLack of timeLimited access to empowermentUnsafe activitiesLimited finances spent on fuelLack of input in energy planningLack of access to modern technologiesLimited markets

Role of Efficient Energy

Has many positive benefits

Various projects focus on women

Renewable energies the answer?

Raises awareness

Raises life expectancy

The FutureProvide more options & better choices

Energy for income earning activities

Reducing health risks

Better access to credit

Improve information distribution

Training

Education

Participation of women in policies

Raise awareness

Conclusion

Energy can empower womenCognisance of women’s different needsSafe, acceptable, reliable and affordable energyConsultative approachesCollection of dataGender sensitisationGender equality