SPARKNET Bibliography

Author and Title	GRID Center, Vientiane, Lao PDR, "Fuel for Life: Women and the Fuel wood Cycle"
Article in	Paper presented at the workshop organised by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), "Gender Issues in Wood Energy Workshop", Pathumthani, Thailand, 21^th-22^th November, 2000
Available online at
End use	Household energy
Energy technology	Fuel wood
Issue	Women's needs; planning methodology
Level	Policy advice
Description	This paper provides an overview of gender issues related to fuel wood collection and to forestry in Lao PDR, in order to raise awareness about women's role and women's needs in this area. The author considers that often in the past, social and cultural barriers have caused planners to overlook women's role in production and natural resource management, and traditional concepts of female behaviour have prevented women from fully participating in the development process. The report first describes women and the fuelwood cycle; fuelwood usage in the household, the wood collection and transportation. Women's economic activity and fuel collection patterns are analysed. Furthermore environmental awareness and indigenous knowledge of fuelwood is assessed and finally the role of men and women in marketing wood is described.

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