Rights activists call for empowering women in power, energy sectors
Women are the largest consumers of energy, as 46% of the total energy used in the country is for household purposes, Executive Director of DOPS Ujjal Chakraborty said
Environmental activists at an awareness-increasing campaign today (7 March) called for the empowerment of women in the power and energy sectors, ensuring their energy rights and recognizing their role as policymakers.
The campaign was arranged at Abu Sayeed Square in front of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur to emphasise the importance of expanding renewable energy and increasing women's inclusion in the energy sector.
Development of Poor Society (DOPS), Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) and Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED) organized the campaign marking International Women's Day 2025.
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The primary objective of this campaign was to ensure 100 percent renewable energy use across the country and establish energy security for women to ensure sustainable national development.
Executive Director of DOPS Ujjal Chakraborty, Director of Ecology and Development Forum Hasan Mehedi, Convener of the Forum on Ecology and Development SM Piyal, and environmental activists Lipika Yeasmin and Mizanur Rahman addressed the occasion.
Ujjal Chakraborty said women are the largest consumers of energy, as 46% of the total energy used in the country is for household purposes.
However, women are deprived at all levels in the energy sector, from planning to implementation, and from generation to distribution.
"As women own only 2-4 percent of the land nationwide, energy project developers exclude them and consider them merely as beneficiaries in the consultation process without recognising them as active stakeholders and policymakers," he mentioned.
Mizanur Rahman said, "Unlike men, women cannot easily migrate when affected by power plant projects. The influx of outsiders in local areas creates obstacles for women in terms of mobility, personal health, sanitation, and fulfilling their basic needs."
SM Piyal said project developers always ignore the special needs of women, particularly reproductive health concerns.
Fossil fuel-based power plants, especially coal-fired ones, emit excessive levels of toxic metals like mercury, lead, cadmium, and chromium and sulfur causing pollution.
"Even though women are the most immediate and innocent victims of this pollution, they are not entitled to any compensation because they do not own land," he said.
Lipika Yeasmin called on the government to take necessary measures to facilitate easy installation of solar home systems for women across the country.
