CLEANER FUEL PUSH IN RURAL INDIA NEEDS MORE ENERGY

OMEN'S access to clean energy and gender equality are intrinsically related, as transition to clean energy provides greater opportunities for women to improve their economic and physical well-being.

- ELLINA SAMANTROY Coordinator, Centre for Gender and Labour, V V Giri National Labour Institute

The gender-energy nexus is central to the framework of the global sustainable development goals, notably those linked to poverty (SDG 1), health and well-being (SDG 3), education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), climate change (SDG 13), and most importantly, affordable and clean energy (SDG 7)—for the promotion of gender equality.

Yet, 2.4 billion people globally lack access to clean energy for cooking and rely on wood, charcoal, coal, animal waste, etc., as highlighted by a 2023 UN Women report titled 'Gender equality in the sustainable energy transition.' Women bear a substantial burden of this energy poverty, which is inextricably linked to other time and labour-consuming activities, as well as their safety. Indoor air pollution (IAP), a major contributor to environmental pollution, disproportionately affects women and children due to their greater exposure to such environments. The World Health Organization reported 3.2 million deaths per year due to IAP in 2020. In India, the number stands at 5,00,000 deaths per year, with women and children making up a significant proportion of the number both globally and in India.