Page 10 - Women as agent of change in clean energy transition
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in the developed world and is placed Carnegie Mellon University, and of India. The draft National Energy
above the United States and Europe Union College to document collective Policy of India dated 27 June 2017
(Goldman Sachs, 2019). The report also intelligence among teams revealed that treats gender as a subcategory of
stated that if women shift from the the propensity to collaborate effectively poverty and not as a separate category.
part-time employment, which currently is linked to the number of women in the Consequently, the policy mentions
stands at 56%, to full time, it will further team as women are better at reading gender only once in the section on
boost the Japanese economy (Goldman non-verbal cues and soliciting greater clean fuel access, wherein it states
Sachs, 2019). Likewise, the findings of participation of colleagues than men that the strategy to provide clean fuel
the research conducted in Fortune 500 (Woolley, Chabris, Pentland, et al., 2010). shall have positive ripple effects on
companies reveal that companies with public health, gender, livelihoods, and
higher representation of women have Women and Energy environmental aspects of the country
higher net income as a percentage of Policy (Niti Aayog, 2017). The word ‘women’ is
revenue (Pearl-Martinez and Stephens, mentioned on three instances and all of
2016). Even though extensive research has them are in the context of making clean
been conducted to establish mutual fuel accessible to rural women.
Socio-cultural interdependencies between gender
‘Energy democratization’ and ‘energy relations and energy policy in both Operationalizing
the developing and the developed
citizenship’ are the new terminologies world, gender mainstreaming Women Inclusion in
being used to make the energy sector continues to remain on the periphery Energy Sector
more inclusive (Sweeney, 2012; van of energy policy (Ryan, 2014). In
Veelen and van der Horst, 2018). It is the case of developing countries, Inclusion of women in the clean energy
widely researched and accepted that women are generally considered as transition can be considerably enhanced
the vulnerabilities related to transitions the beneficiaries of interventions and by taking actions at several levels:
and disruptions are gendered and are seldom involved in the decision- » Gender disaggregated data: Projects
women, poor, and the underprivileged making process (Clancy, Winther, on energy seldom report gender-
are more affected due to less education, Matinga, et al., 2012). The initiatives disaggregated information and there
lack of skill, lower access to institutional such as ‘Ujjwala’ and ‘Saubhagya’ by is very limited data available on
support and information, and little or the Indian Government are focused inclusion of women in clean energy
no participation in the decision-making primarily on enabling women to fulfil transition (Cecelski, 2000; Clancy
(Goh, 2012; Moosa and Tuana, 2014; their traditional reproductive tasks and Feenstra, 2019). Gathering and
Rao, Lawson, Raditloaneng, et al., 2019; with greater ease and in healthier reporting of gender-disaggregated
Yadav and Lal, 2018). Policymakers, environment. The Integrated Energy data is vital to set a baseline for
planners, practitioners, and the public Policy drafted by the Planning mainstreaming gender in policy
recognize the social risks due to inequity Commission in 2006 was both design and project implementation in
in energy access, but efforts towards inclusive and equitable. It very vividly the energy sector (Pearl-Martinez and
planned engagement and inclusion of highlighted the drudgery of gathering Stephens, 2016).
women throughout the energy sector fuelwood being borne by women » Gender budgeting: In order to ensure
are still lacking. Access to energy is and girl child. It also emphasized on gender-responsive implementation of
critical for human livelihoods and publishing of annual renewable energy projects, it is critical to set an inclusive
wider representation of both men report highlighting the social benefits, budget that caters to the specific
and women can help in generating employment created, and women’s needs of both women and men and
social awareness, better integration of participation and empowerment also the budget includes allocations
community needs, and involvement (Planning Commission, 2006). The related to gender mainstreaming,
of public in decision-making, resulting policy also stressed upon creating hiring of gender experts, conducting
in stronger and resilient societies women self-help groups (SHGs) and gender impact assessment, and
(Wilkinson and Pickett, 2009). Research providing finance through these SHGs collecting sex-disaggregated data
reveals that engagement of people to transform women from energy (Climate Investment Funds, 2017;
from diverse groups has resulted in gatherers into micro-entrepreneurs SEforALL, 2018).
enhanced organizational performance engaged in rural energy markets » Empanelling gender experts:
and project outcomes in comparison and energy management (Planning Gender relations are embedded
to homogeneous groups (Hong and Commission, 2006). However, the in informal institutions and as
Page, 2004). A study conducted by provisions of that policy barely got men usually take decisions on the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, reflected in the National Energy Policy adoption of energy technologies,
JANUARY–MARCH 2020 16 ENERGY FUTURE
above the United States and Europe Union College to document collective Policy of India dated 27 June 2017
(Goldman Sachs, 2019). The report also intelligence among teams revealed that treats gender as a subcategory of
stated that if women shift from the the propensity to collaborate effectively poverty and not as a separate category.
part-time employment, which currently is linked to the number of women in the Consequently, the policy mentions
stands at 56%, to full time, it will further team as women are better at reading gender only once in the section on
boost the Japanese economy (Goldman non-verbal cues and soliciting greater clean fuel access, wherein it states
Sachs, 2019). Likewise, the findings of participation of colleagues than men that the strategy to provide clean fuel
the research conducted in Fortune 500 (Woolley, Chabris, Pentland, et al., 2010). shall have positive ripple effects on
companies reveal that companies with public health, gender, livelihoods, and
higher representation of women have Women and Energy environmental aspects of the country
higher net income as a percentage of Policy (Niti Aayog, 2017). The word ‘women’ is
revenue (Pearl-Martinez and Stephens, mentioned on three instances and all of
2016). Even though extensive research has them are in the context of making clean
been conducted to establish mutual fuel accessible to rural women.
Socio-cultural interdependencies between gender
‘Energy democratization’ and ‘energy relations and energy policy in both Operationalizing
the developing and the developed
citizenship’ are the new terminologies world, gender mainstreaming Women Inclusion in
being used to make the energy sector continues to remain on the periphery Energy Sector
more inclusive (Sweeney, 2012; van of energy policy (Ryan, 2014). In
Veelen and van der Horst, 2018). It is the case of developing countries, Inclusion of women in the clean energy
widely researched and accepted that women are generally considered as transition can be considerably enhanced
the vulnerabilities related to transitions the beneficiaries of interventions and by taking actions at several levels:
and disruptions are gendered and are seldom involved in the decision- » Gender disaggregated data: Projects
women, poor, and the underprivileged making process (Clancy, Winther, on energy seldom report gender-
are more affected due to less education, Matinga, et al., 2012). The initiatives disaggregated information and there
lack of skill, lower access to institutional such as ‘Ujjwala’ and ‘Saubhagya’ by is very limited data available on
support and information, and little or the Indian Government are focused inclusion of women in clean energy
no participation in the decision-making primarily on enabling women to fulfil transition (Cecelski, 2000; Clancy
(Goh, 2012; Moosa and Tuana, 2014; their traditional reproductive tasks and Feenstra, 2019). Gathering and
Rao, Lawson, Raditloaneng, et al., 2019; with greater ease and in healthier reporting of gender-disaggregated
Yadav and Lal, 2018). Policymakers, environment. The Integrated Energy data is vital to set a baseline for
planners, practitioners, and the public Policy drafted by the Planning mainstreaming gender in policy
recognize the social risks due to inequity Commission in 2006 was both design and project implementation in
in energy access, but efforts towards inclusive and equitable. It very vividly the energy sector (Pearl-Martinez and
planned engagement and inclusion of highlighted the drudgery of gathering Stephens, 2016).
women throughout the energy sector fuelwood being borne by women » Gender budgeting: In order to ensure
are still lacking. Access to energy is and girl child. It also emphasized on gender-responsive implementation of
critical for human livelihoods and publishing of annual renewable energy projects, it is critical to set an inclusive
wider representation of both men report highlighting the social benefits, budget that caters to the specific
and women can help in generating employment created, and women’s needs of both women and men and
social awareness, better integration of participation and empowerment also the budget includes allocations
community needs, and involvement (Planning Commission, 2006). The related to gender mainstreaming,
of public in decision-making, resulting policy also stressed upon creating hiring of gender experts, conducting
in stronger and resilient societies women self-help groups (SHGs) and gender impact assessment, and
(Wilkinson and Pickett, 2009). Research providing finance through these SHGs collecting sex-disaggregated data
reveals that engagement of people to transform women from energy (Climate Investment Funds, 2017;
from diverse groups has resulted in gatherers into micro-entrepreneurs SEforALL, 2018).
enhanced organizational performance engaged in rural energy markets » Empanelling gender experts:
and project outcomes in comparison and energy management (Planning Gender relations are embedded
to homogeneous groups (Hong and Commission, 2006). However, the in informal institutions and as
Page, 2004). A study conducted by provisions of that policy barely got men usually take decisions on the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, reflected in the National Energy Policy adoption of energy technologies,
JANUARY–MARCH 2020 16 ENERGY FUTURE
