|
|
SPARKNET Bibliographybrowse the full database | search
| Author and Title |
Gregory, Johanna, "Coupling Rural Electrification with Micro-credit: Linking Rural Energy Development, Poverty Alleviation and Women's Empowerment" |
| Article in |
Paper presented at the Segunda Reunion de GENES, Guatemala City, August 2000 |
| Available online at |
|
| End use |
Household energy; energy for small-scale enterprises |
| Energy technology |
Renewable energy |
| Issue |
Financial access to energy |
| Level |
Research; case-studies |
| Description |
Micro-credit is considered a successful mechanism for helping to alleviate poverty for many rural people. Many rural energy advocates are also starting to get interested in coupling energy programmes with micro-credit programmes, as a way to widen access to energy services and to meet other development goals, such as poverty alleviation and women's empowerment. The paper starts with the premise that micro-credit is not necessarily a panacea for poverty alleviation, and it does not necessarily lead to women's empowerment. It presents some of the misconceptions about micro-credit, and point out that, in order to truly benefit women, micro-credit programmes must be designed with specific elements that will promote improvements in their lives. To illustrate these points, two case studies from Bangladesh are presented - one women's micro-credit organisation and one rural renewable energy/micro-credit programme. The author considers that in order to improve the implementation of micro-credit programmes, key elements have to be included in micro-credit programmes in order to successfully benefit women. Energy/microcredit programmes should therefore promote women's access to, and knowledge of, the market activities funded by their loans; promote Rural Energy for women's income-generating purposes; and develop innovative programmes to increase women's control over their activities. |
This bibliography item provided with financial support of the Department for International Development of the UK Government (DFID) and ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy
|
