Under ESMAP’s new Strategic Business Plan 2008-2013, the Gender & Energy Development Strategies (GEDS) Technical Assistance Program has made progress in FY2010. GEDS is building on the significant gender-sensitive work that has already been done in the energy sector and connecting with the energy task team leaders (TTLs) and regional activities that have strategic potential for including gender based interventions. A core message from WDR 2010 is that women and men experience climate change differently and they also differ in their capacities to respond to it. Of the 2.5 billion people who rely on biomass fuels, women are both the main suppliers and users of bio-fuel energy. They are responsible for most cooking needs and, together with children, are most exposed to indoor air pollution.
As a first step towards achieving the GEDS program objectives of integrating gender equity considerations into the policies, strategies and programs of client countries, ESMAP has connected with existing Gender and Infrastructure experts in the World Bank.
The GEDS program in FY2010 will include:
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Gender based impact of energy service provision
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Enhancing women’s economic opportunities in energy SME development
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Gender dimension in climate change mitigation and adaptation
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Knowledge generation, dissemination and outreach
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Capacity building of government counterparts and facilitating counterpart partnership
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