Can gender be mainstreamed in the environment sector?

The fifth dialogue on the topic “Can gender be mainstreamed in the environment sector?” was held on August 12, 2013. Dr Govind Kelkar, Director of the Landesa; and Ms Priti Darooka, Executive Director of Program for Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights were the main speakers.

Dr Kelkar focussed on three important questions related to Energy and Gender: To what extent the introduction of energy-intensive low cost production can be a starting point for meeting rural poor women’s well-being concerns and providing productive assets through such energy projects; does the inclusion of women in decision-making on energy projects and in the community, make a difference to the way that matters of women’s drudgery and social neglect are addressed; and can women’s decision making roles in energy projects implicitly or the otherwise question and change the social subordination of women?

Ms Darooka laid emphasis on how women’s work, whether care or domestic or un-paid work does not get due attention in policy making and developmental project planning. She strongly contended that such work should be brought under the purview of accounting.

Various relevant government schemes were also brought under the scope of the dialogue, especially those in rural areas where women depend on natural resources and environmental services for their own and their families’ survival and well-being.