Exploring factors that influence the mainstreaming of gendered energy interventions in poor urban environments : a structured literature review

Date
2020-11-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Energy sectors are faced with the interconnected challenges of urbanisation and providing a growing population with accessible and sustainable energy that facilitates economic development, energy security, and poverty reduction. The Sustainable Development Goals address issues that include poverty, gender equality, energy, and sustainable cities, and highlight the need to improve the lives of poor communities and to address economic marginalisation. However, recent studies show that poor urban areas have a considerable number of female-lead households. Energy is a critical input for these households, resulting in women being increasingly vulnerable to unsustainable energy consumption patterns and energy insecurity. In this article, a structured literature review is conducted to investigate energy technologies that contribute to energy security among energy-poor women. The key factors to consider in the mainstreaming of a gender perspective into energy technology innovations are then identified and contextualised. How these factors can help achieve the sustainable development goals and contribute to ensuring sustainable energy sectors is also highlighted.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Energiesektore word gekonfronteer met die onderling gekoppelde uitdagings van verstedeliking en om ʼn groeiende bevolking te voorsien met toeganklike en volhoubare energie wat ekonomiese ontwikkeling, energiesekerheid en amoede-vermindering fasiliteer. Die Doelwitte vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling behandel kwessies soos armoede, geslagsgelykheid, energie, en volhoubare stede en beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid om die lewens van arm gemeenskappe te verbeter en ekonomiese marginalisering aan te spreek. Onlangse studies toon egter dat arm stedelike gebiede ʼn aansienlike aantal huishoudings met vroue aan die hoof het. Energie is ʼn kritieke inset vir hierdie huishoudings wat veroorsak dat vroue toenemend kwesbaar is vir onvolhoubare energie-verbruikpatrone en energie-onsekerheid. In hierdie artikel word ʼn gestruktureerde literatuuroorsig uitgevoer om energietegnologieë te ondersoek wat bydra tot energiesekerheid onder energie-arm vroue. Die sleutelfaktore om in ag te neem vir die integrasie van ʼn geslagsperspektief in energie-tegnologie-innovasies word vervolgens identifiseer en gekontekstualiseer. Hoe hierdie faktore kan help om die Doelwitte vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling te bereik en kan bydra tot die versekering van volhoubare energiesektore, word ook uitgelig.
Description
CITATION: Oosthuizen, L., De Kock, I. H. & Musango, J. K. 2020.. Exploring factors that influence the mainstreaming of gendered energy interventions in poor urban environments : a structured literature review. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 31(3):83-96, doi:10.7166/31-3-2421.
The original publication is available at http://sajie.journals.ac.za
Keywords
Energy, Urban population, Renewable energy sources, Development, Economic
Citation
Oosthuizen, L., De Kock, I. H. & Musango, J. K. 2020.. Exploring factors that influence the mainstreaming of gendered energy interventions in poor urban environments : a structured literature review. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 31(3):83-96, doi:10.7166/31-3-2421