`Energy Poverty Hurts Women'

Women's participation should be considered while making policy on access to energy and management

- Linda Davis

IF WE talk about Sub-Saharan Africa, the challenge posed by energy poverty is quite serious. Of 1.2 billion people living without electricity across the globe, 0.8 million are in SSA. What does it mean? It means that these many people are relying on the inefficient way of lighting. For instance, they use kerosene which is detrimental to health and environment and also a drain on the finances of the family. When it comes to cooking, the same unhealthy ways are followed. People use charcoal and dung which are again harmful for health. So, power shortage is a big crisis impacting human life in big way. And it exist in 2018, when the rest of the world has made significant advances to provide electricity, LPG and other cooking gas solutions that have no negative health impact on people.