Recognizing Women as Clean Cooking Leaders听
Cooking鈥攑erhaps more than any other activity鈥攙isibly highlights the global differences in men and women鈥檚 access to energy. Addressing this inequality was an important focus of last week鈥檚 听(IVECF), where the Clean Cooking Alliance (华语av视频) co-hosted a discussion on gender and clean cooking.听
In many countries, women and girls disproportionately bear the impacts of collecting wood and cooking over smoky fires and inefficient stoves鈥攅xposing them to air pollution, and costing time and socioeconomic opportunities. Economic forecasts show that women听will continue to make up most of the world鈥檚 extremely poor, with the gender poverty gap projected to widen by 2030.听In displacement settings, these challenges are even more severe, with limited access to safe cooking solutions undermining food security, dignity, and basic needs.听
But women are not simply people in need听of greater energy access;听their experiences, agency, and leadership are fundamental to understanding how clean cooking听markets听function and scale. Many听women听are already shaping the clean cooking sector as entrepreneurs, designers, technicians, distributors, and policy advocates.听听
That鈥檚 why the IVECF discussion emphasized an important message: real and lasting energy solutions must center gender equality and invest in the women who are already making a difference. This includes greater representation in decision-making and support in accessing finance, networks, and growth. 听
The听Women in Clean Cooking (WICC) mentorship program鈥攃o-organized by 华语av视频, Sustainable Energy for All (SEForALL), and the Global Women鈥檚 Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET)鈥攊s one initiative trying to do just that. During the IVECF discussion, two entrepreneurs and former WICC participants shared why the clean cooking sector was so meaningful to them, both personally and professionally.听听 听
鈥淭his is not just an energy issue for me; it is about moving women to cleaner solutions, restoring women鈥檚 health, and restoring their dignity,鈥� reflected听Jane听Ekeh, who is听the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of听,听a platform that connects clean cooking gas retailers to customers.听
Marie-Louise Schmidt, President of the and General Director of , noted, 鈥淔or a long time, I was asking myself, what am I doing wrong to face so many challenges? But through this [WICC] program I saw that others face the same realities and it allowed me to learn from others and refine my strategy.鈥�听
Their stories underscored听a broader insight from the session:听by itself, a new cooking appliance does not guarantee consistent adoption and use鈥�that requires trust.听Women-led networks are central to creating that trust.听Studies show that听women entrepreneurs are often听very effective听in reaching last-mile communities. They understand household dynamics,听leverage听strong social networks, and invest in the sustained engagement听that is听required听for听people to consistently use clean cooking solutions over the long term.听听
These insights are increasingly reflected in global efforts to integrate gender equality into energy access strategies, such as听the听Gender and Energy Compact.听The听compact听is a听global platform听that brings together听governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to advance gender equality across energy systems.听听
To mark its five-year anniversary,听at IVECF听the听compact鈥檚听leading organizations听launched听鈥淐all to Action听2026,鈥澨齛dvocating听for听an听urgent, collective听effort听to place gender equality at the heart of the energy transition.听Partners听are encouraged to听read and听endorse the听call to听action ().听
The discussion on clean cooking and gender at IVECF was joint effort of 华语av视频, ENERGIA, SEforALL, the Global Network of Regional sustainable Energy Centres, the OPEC Fund, GIZ-Endev, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
