Gender Mainstreaming into Rural Electrification in Botswana
Botswana Power Corporation(BPC) responded to a call for proposals by ENERGIA for programs geared towards mainstreaming gender into energy projects and programs. BPC then embarked on a gender mainstreaming project for the national rural electrification program (grid and off-grid). The aim of the gender mainstreaming project is to ensure that the energy needs of both women and men are taken into account during planning and implementation. The main goal of the joint project is the creation of a Gender Action Plan for BPC for the years 2010-2015.
In order to create the GAP a gender team was established comprising representatives from BPC Rural SBU (Strategic Business Unit), ENERGIA Africa and a gender expert as an independent consultant leading the process. The process started in November 2009 through a situational analysis of the energy, gender and poverty linkages in Botswana and how energy can be used to improve the lives of women and men. In order to achieve this, diagnostic steps involving literature review, project document review, institutional analysis and field work (surveys) were carried out.
Key objectives of the GAP:
- Increase connection rates (grid and off-grid) in rural areas for women and men.
- Support and implement Botswana Government policy on gender equity.
- Implement the gender objective in the draft National Energy Policy.
Key action areas identified in the GAP:
- Institutionalization of gender in BPC.
- Understanding and meeting women’s and men’s energy needs as a means of increasing connection rates.
- Increase income through entrepreneurship for poor households.
Downloads
BPC Gender Action Plan 2010 - 2015 [PDF, 150kb]
Case study 'Gender Mainstreaming in the Botswana Power Corporation' [PDF, 2.1mb]
