Gender as a Key Variable in Scaling Up Energy Access: E NERGIA’s Approach to Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Projects So

1. Gender as a Key Variable in Scaling Up Energy Access:ENERGIA’s Approach to Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Projects Soma Dutta 12 December 2011 ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy

2. Rationale • Attention to gender issues in energy projects can improve development effectiveness and improve project efficiency • In practice, few mainstream energy projects mainstream gender systematically • Since 2007, ENERGIA has been assisting 19 energy (and environment) projects to mainstream gender to showcase • how gender-specific impacts can be generated through energy access projects and markets, • how mainstreaming gender can improve energy project outcomes; • how such impacts can be multiplied

3. ENERGIA-Assisted Projects

5. Conceptual framework for Gender Mainstreaming Work with energy projects to • Assess what are the likely implications of the project on men and women (Diagnose..) • Agree on what a project wants to achieve from a gender perspective (gender goal and strategy) • Design activities on how these gender goals can be met • Build consensus among stakeholders on the approach • Develop a gender sensitive monitoring strategy ……so that both women and men can benefit from projects and inequality is reduced or eliminated.

6. Gender mainstreaming approach in practice Assess Organizational Capacity PREPARE: Background review, organizational assessment, consulting with project community Assess the context Assess Gender Situation on the Ground Agree on Gender Goal DESIGN: Gender Action Plan, including goal, expected outcomes, activities and M&E framework Decide Gender Specific Activities IMPLEMENT: Institutionalize the process (org. policies, staffing, capacity building, documentation) Track Progress MONITOR: Track progress, outcomes and communicate Feedback

7. Mainstreaming gender within project cycle: An example • Feasibility study • Role and status of women in similar trades/ allied business • Assess overall potential • Strategies and Actions • Additional training (technology/ confidence/ leadership) • Other enabling conditions Economic Empowerment Women form x% of service providers • Baseline study • Assess women’s potential (literacy/ numeracy skills/ business acumen) • Capacity building and other needs • Perception of men • Women’s institutions • Monitor • Number of women service providers after ……. Years of project • Average increase in income

8. Gender mainstreaming actions

9. Emerging results Immediate results : The preparation and adoption of Gender Action Plans, with clear gender goals, activities, indicators and M&E framework • to improve women’s welfare, income generation and empowerment • to involve women in the operation, installation and maintenance of technologies • gender-sensitive training and promotion material • ensure women’s participation in project activities. Intermediate results : • Enhanced institutional capacity of participating projects (staff and partners) • Gender integrated in project planning and M&E frameworks • Attention to gender into other energy projects/ proposals

10. Emerging impacts on development effectiveness • Time saved (>2 hrs a day) and improved home environment & health (Pakistan), time saved (30 min a day )on cooking (Senegal) • Improved health and incomes from using biogas slurry in kitchen gardens (Pakistan, Nepal, ABPP) • Improved health from water supply • (Sri Lanka, Philippines) • Improved heath from drinking water interventions (NAPA, Cambodia) Improve quality of life New interventions identified in gender analysis • Women working as operators (Philippines, Sri Lanka, Kenya) • Money saved from slurry use for kitchen gardens (Pakistan) • Increased incomes through masonry, mobilizers (Nepal), sale of biogas slurry by women’s groups (ABPP), women working as blacksmiths (as against potters) (Senegal) Technology improvements Training on kitchen gardening Measures to encourage women in supply chain Increase women’s productivity & income Promote gender equality & empower women Women’s capacity increased to manage technology (Nepal, Pakistan, Kenya, Sri Lanka) Women holding positions in project committees (Philippines, Sri Lanka) Technology improvements, women trained on use and maintenance of technologies Measures to identify and promote women in decision making roles

11. Gender as a key variable in scaling up energy access Towards greater project efficiency & sustainability Improved performance of technologies Improved targeting Informed project planning and decisions Programme goal Improve connection rates (Botswana Power Corporation) • Targeting women’s and men’s developmental priorities • Women involved in project decision-making and redistribution of tasks in community groups (Philippines, Sri Lanka) • Harnessing women’s traditional knowledge in project planning (Sri Lanka) • Using women’s groups as a vehicle for project functions (financing: Nepal, extension: ABPP) • Women’s training in tech maintenance (all biogas, 94% functionality in BSP) • Women’s training in animal care, kitchen gardening (Pakistan)

12. Good practices and lessons learned • Use a flexible/ adaptable approach to gender mainstreaming • Introduce gender mainstreaming in design phase • Integrate gender mainstreaming within the entire project cycle: Integration of gender baselines, indicators, and disaggregation into existing frameworks • The project must lead the GM process • Peg expectations realistically: Realizing impact is a long-term goal

13. For additional information see: ENERGIA website: www.energia.org

14. Integrate gender ALL through the project cycle Feasibility Study ‘Explores’ gender issues (start discussion) • Systematically answers key questions: • to set the baseline on gender dimensions • to guide project design • Reality check Baseline Survey PID Outline broad strategies (gender goal/ expected outcome/ activities/ indicators) Annual Plans Integrate and allocate budget Monitoring Track performance on select gender indicators No stand alone processes