Publication: The Impact of Energy on Women's Lives in Rural India
Date
2004-01
ISSN
Published
2004-01
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
This report highlights the tremendous
difference that access to improved energy services in the
form of biomass stoves, petroleum fuels, and household
electrification makes for the life of rural women. Of
course, the benefits of rural energy services can differ by
region, class, caste, education, and household occupation,
but the overall pattern that emerges is that the benefits of
improved rural energy services for rural women in India are
substantial. The use of Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or
kerosene stoves relieves women of much of the most arduous
tasks involved in cooking for their families and permits
them to lead a relatively comfortable and healthy life.
Household electrification also has positive consequences for
women in terms of their general quality of life, including
an increased likelihood that they will read, watch
television, and earn income. Having lights at night
increases their ability to read in the evening after dark.
However, the advantages of electrification could be
exploited even more, as there still is a puzzling
underinvestment in appliances such as mixers, grinders,
blenders, and others that could help women with their daily
household work.
Citation
“World Bank. 2004. The Impact of Energy on Women's Lives in Rural India. © Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20269 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”