2 June Bundesrat, Saal 315 17:30 h - 19:30 h

International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy and LIFE e.V. (ENERGIA), Focal Point Gender Justice and Sustainability: Gender and Energy: A Key Variable in Poverty Reduction and Participatory Energy Production The issue Poverty Reduction and Participatory Energy Production: Two topics that show clearly why �Energy� is linked to �Gender� in diverse ways and the first cannot be discussed sufficiently without addressing the latter. Poverty in general�and rural poverty in particular�affects men and women differently, and women bear a disproportionate share of its hardships. The absence of modern energy has direct and significant consequences for women, ranging from serious health impacts from indoor pollution to lost opportunities for self-improvement and family wellbeing on account of the time spent on meeting basic household energy needs. Evidence around the developing world suggests that a focus on productive, often male-dominated, energy services has neglected the complementarity of productive and reproductive activities in rural households, and has led to interventions that are not only gender-biased, but are also less effective for poverty reduction. In a variety of ways, the sheer burden of ensuring energy to meet basic household needs stands in the way of women�s social and economic empowerment. Renewable energy can play an important role in reducing women�s drudgery by providing improved access to energy services for lighting, cooking, and other household and productive activities that should have a significant positive effect on women�s education, literacy, nutrition, health, economic opportunities, and involvement in community affairs which, in turn, will benefit all family members. All these activities contribute to improving gender equity and women�s empowerment. By taking a gender approach, renewable energy suppliers can increase their potential client base and the sustainability in the use of their technologies. However, this cannot take place in a vacuum and needs a supporting environment. Policy can create an enabling environment that ensures access to more sustainable energy services. In general, women have been largely excluded from participation in energy policy and in processes of decision-making. They lack access, or the equivalent access of men, to the resources needed for economic or political participation. Yet they are key stakeholders in producing sustainable, equitable development policies. There is therefore a need for more gender-sensitive energy policies that equally address women�s and men�s energy needs. Thus, the intergovernmental mechanism at the International Conference on Renewable Energy in Bonn June 2004, which will include stakeholders from all levels, is called upon to conclude recommendations of good policy and a political commitments that will address urgently the priority issues of emphasising the goal of increasing access and affordability to sustainable energy services for women through both empowering women and engendering renewable energy. The Gender and Energy side event will aim at reviewing critical policy and programme design options to improve women�s access to modern energy services based on the lessons learned in the five best practices presented, and to promote that the gender perspective is taken into account in energy policymaking. To understand which issues must be addressed in effective policymaking at the regional and national level, such concrete experiences provide a wealth of insight. The presenters and organisers of the side even, hope that this effort will provide input for government policymakers, energy sector agencies, civil society and development assistance organisations to generate opportunities for development through energy activities. Agenda 17:30: Welcome Remarks: Sheila Oparaocha, ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy 17:40: Key Note Address: Gender and Energy, a Key Policy Variable in Poverty Reduction Dr Kamal Rijal; Sustainable Energy Policy Advisor UNDP Sub-Regional Resource Facility - Asia Region 18:00: Women as Energy Entrepreneurs: Upesi Rural Stoves Programme in Kenya Lydia Muchiri; Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) � Eastern Africa 18:20: Women Producing Renewable Energy: Windfang Gisela Renner; Windfang - Germany 18:40: Community-owned Micro Hydro System by Village Women in the Western Solomons Yogita Chandra; South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) - Fiji 19:00: Beyond Project Boundaries: Gender Impact of the Rural Micro Hydro Development Programme Dr Indira Shakya; Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST) 19:20: Concluding Remarks Ulrike Roehr; LIFE e.V. � Germany 19:30: Close of Event

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