GENDER AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT IN THE CLEANCOOKING SECTOR

SCALING ADOPTION OF CLEAN COOKING SOLUTIONS THROUGH WOMEN’SEMPOWERMENT

Why does the sector need to focus on women and gender

issues?

Women, as the users, will ultimately determine use and adoption

Women entrepreneurs are an untapped resource– Women are the fastest growing cohort of

entrepreneurs and business owners in many developing countries

Women entrepreneurs can better reach female consumer segments and increase overall sales

Women can enhance development impacts – Women reinvest 90% of their earnings back into

their families and communities

Has anyone seen evidence of this first hand? Let’s share a few experiences.

Gender-informed practices have two important outcomes for the clean cooking sector:

So if we know it is critical, why isn’t everyone focused on it? What are the challenges around scaling women’s

empowerment, entrepreneurship, and addressing gender? Capacity of implementing

organizations to address gender and women’s entrepreneurship

needs to be strengthened:

- Resource Guide

- Gender capacity building through Capacity Development Facility

- Empowered Entrepreneur Training Handbook

Financing needed for gender components of cookstove and

fuel projects:

- Women’s Empowerment Fund

Need increased evidence of the specific gender impacts

in the sector:

- 3 gender studies recently released

- Applied research and M&E for Alliance grants

Value chain :

– Best practice for integrating women into each segment

– Case studies that show application of best practices

– Linking best practices with tools and resources

• All tools can be downloaded at www.cleancookstoves.org/gender

PRODUCTDESIGN PRODUCTION

CONSUMERFINANCE

SUPPLIERFINANCE DISTRIBUTION

AFTER-SALESSERVICE

Universal Best Practices

• Conduct analysis to understand gender roles and dynamics in a community

• Develop a strategy to engage men• Schedule times and locations of meetings/activities around

women’s availability and remain flexible• Identify and build strong local partnerships with trusted individuals

and organizations; Strongly consider working with women’s groups• Conduct gender sensitive training on relevant topics; Offer

continuous training opportunities and mentorship

• Examples of interesting tools: – Tips for conducting a gender analysis at the activity or project level – Toolkit on engaging men and boys– Monitoring form for measuring sustainability of women’s groups– Business training toolkit for women

PRODUCTDESIGN

Women’s input in designis critical. Engagingwomen can help

generate demand, create appropriate

products, and increase adoption.

Best Practices

• Conduct household questionnaires and surveys, as well as one on one discussions

• Conduct expert interviews

• Conduct focus group discussions

• Conduct cookstove performance tests with users in the field to ensure performance

• Observe women cooking on both their traditional cookstoves and with the improved models

• Conduct cookstove field trials and gather feedback

EcoZoom Case Study• Focus group discussions

Explore market needs and design concepts with women-only and mixed gender groups

• Controlled cooking tests Functionality and efficiency

• In-home cookstove trials Testing with 5-10 women for 1-2 months,

frequent visits

• Small-scale pilots with 100-500 women cooks Gather data to reveal trends and inform

modifications

• One-on-one discussions Feedback for modifications and improvements

• Engaging men Consult with male village leaders before entering community One-on-one discussions Include in field testing

Best Practices

• Integrate livelihoodopportunities for womenin manufacturingprocesses that involve producing componentslocally

• Work with women’sgroups or create groups ofwomen to scale efforts, build capacity, and providea support system

• Provide training on quality assurance and qualitycontrol; Provideproduction manuals

PRODUCTIONWomen can beeconomically empoweredin the production of clean

cookstoves. As producers, women become experts in

the products they useregularly and are likely tofurther help generate

awareness and demandamong a wider cadre of

consumers.

GERES Case Study• Focus group discussions

Explore market needs and design concepts with women-only and mixed gender groups

• Controlled cooking tests Functionality and efficiency

• In-home cookstove trials Testing with 5-10 women for 1-2 months,

frequent visits

• Small-scale pilots with 100-500 women cooks Gather data to reveal trends and inform

modifications

• One-on-one discussions Feedback for modifications and improvements

• Engaging men Consult with male village leaders before entering community One-on-one discussions Include in field testing

Best Practices

• Educate women’s groups on how to access consumer finance as a group

• Emphasize moneymanagement and savings intrainings

• Consider flexible repayment plans, micro-consignment, or rent-to-own schemes

• Consider providingconsumer finance directlythrough the project ordevelop partnerships toprovide direct access to credit for product purchases

• If working with financialinstitutions, provide supportto make them comfortablelending to women, as wellas education working withwomen clients

CONSUMERFINANCE

Consumer finance optionsenable women to purchase clean cooking solutions. When diverse finance options are available to purchase expensive products, consumer have more purchasing power and are able to consider higher-priced, but better quality options.

SEWA Case Study• Consider flexible repayment plans

Purchase improved cookstove and solar lantern through installment payments

• Provide consumer finance directly through partnerships to provide direct access to credit for product purchases Partner with IFC to provide accessible loans to purchase clean energy products

• Support financial institutions through education on working with women clients Set up information systems and processes to manage loans Training staff to better serverural women

Best Practices

• Train women borrowers on financial management and provide mentorship

• Ensure women have equal access to innovativefinance mechanisms

• When working withfinancial institutions, provide financial support toreduce their risk lending tocooking sector businesses;Conduct education andadvocacy to lend to womenenergy entrepreneurs

• Organize women borrowers into groups or networks in order to access and/orrepay loans more efficiently

• Create flexible terms suchas low interest rates andsmall repayment

SUPPLIERFINANCE

Women-led businesses havea unique role to play in thecooking sector. They have

direct access toconsumers and can expand

access to a variety of cleancooking products. Women-led

businesses are often unableto obtain loans or connectdirectly with investors, and

need training to support theirbusiness and its growth.

Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF) Case Study

• Create flexible terms Women have the option of selecting 6 or 12-month loan terms

• Organize women borrowers into groups or networks to access loans Energy loan repayments made on a weekly basis at usual group meetings

• Ensure women have equal access to innovative finance mechanisms Clients can take out more than one loan at a time, and the exact number

depends on their credit record Ensures clients are not forced to choose between investing in improved energy

and accessing financing for their critical working capital needs

Credit: nwtf.org

DISTRIBUTION

Women can be the keyto scaling distribution.Women have access tohard-to-reachhouseholds, can utilizewoman-to- womanmarketing techniques, and are trustedpromoters ofhousehold productsamong their peers.

Best Practices

• Create selection criteria

• Create market maps and emphasize customer service within trainings

• Offer trial periods

• Provide an entrepreneur starter package

• Use gender-informed marketing messages/methods

• Create a tiered system of accountability

• Provide incentives

• Provide opportunities for successful women to share their experiences and take on leadership roles

• Engage intermediaries and work with men to provide transportation support

• Create central product hubs

VERC Case Study• Create selection criteria

Targets set for # of women entrepreneurs; ~60% of employees women Engaging women field workers who have access to user kitchens (access by others is limited due to socio-cultural constraints)

• Use gender-informed marketing messages/methods Employs participatory assessment to achieve community buy-in and raise

awareness. Including courtyard meetings for households; school sessions; film showings for entrepreneurs

• Offer continuous training opportunities Capacity build of project staff and community catalysts for demand creation

and social marketing Training on Entrepreneurship Development, including empowerment and

leadership training with women entrepreneurs (forthcoming) Conduct workshops to share best practice around women’s empowerment

with partner organizations and other relevant stakeholders• Identify and build strong local partnerships

Community action committees as entry point into new communities

Credit: verc.org

Kopernik Case Study

• Provide an entrepreneur starter package Women receive the technology on consignment and earn a margin

on each sale

• Offer continuous training opportunities Training and mentoring program to empower women with key

business and product knowledge

• Provide opportunities for successful women Wonder women’s empowerment journey: from joining, undergoing

training, running businesses, receiving mentoring, to graduating from the program

• Create selection criteria Local woman as both sales agents and empowered micro-social

entrepreneurs to optimize their integral role in the community and maximize empowerment

AFTER-SALESSERVICEWomen are well-positioned to ensure

proper maintenance and

care of improved cookingsolutions. Woman- to-

woman knowledgetransfer in maintenanceis often more effective

than man-to-womanknowledge transfer,

particularly inconservative

communities. Women have direct access tousers.

Best Practices

• Offer product trial periods

• Provide support networksand oversight

• Provide warranties with women servicing repairand/ or maintenance needs

• Emphasize technology, repair, after-sales, andcustomer service withintrainings

• Create central energy hubs where maintenance and service can take place

• Encourage the use of or provide mobile phones

*Tool Examples:• Warranty Examples• How to Create an Upesi Stove Guide

SURE Case Study

• Provide warranties Women entrepreneurs provide after-sales services

• Product trial periods Potential customers offered 8-day trial to test products

• Emphasize technology, repair, after-sales, and customer service within trainings Training includes repair, maintenance, and customer service Place orders using mobile phones

• Provide support networks and oversight Establish women-led energy hubs for production, distribution, and

after-sales service

• Engaging men Ensure family endorsement when selecting women entrepreneurs

A Call to ActionPartners can continuously and actively:– Understand gender dynamics– Be flexible and considerate of women’s availability– Build strong local partnerships– Create livelihoods that work for women– Train, mentor, and train again– Be innovative

Alliance commitment: - Finance women’s empowerment projects and help scale

successful approaches - Gender capacity building in Alliance’s Capacity Development

Facility- Provide support and guidance on M&E- Continue to build evidence