Finovista, in-country partner of the MECS programme in India, has established a novel initiative entitled “Women in Modern Energy Cooking” (WMEC) which aims to take a women driven approach to advancing gender equity and women’s empowerment in the modern energy cooking sector in India. Launched at the Modern Energy Cooking Forum 2023 in New Delhi on 3 November 2023 in front of esteemed dignitaries including stakeholders from Government, private sector, energy institutes, and academia, the initiative aims to drive gender equity in the clean cooking sector by empowering women through creating sector opportunities, lending a voice and platform to women, enhancing access to finance for women, and enhancing the participation and representation of women in sector forums. Dr. Tripta Thakur, Director General, National Power Training Institute (NPTI), Mr. Soumitra Chakraborty, Chief General Manager (Mktg. Strategy), Indian Oil, Mr. Soumanil Mukherjee, Consultant, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Ms. Akansha Golchha, Lead – Clean Energy Access & Finance, Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), and Ms Sheetal Rastogi, Cofounder, Finovista were the esteemed dignitaries at the launch of WMEC.
This initiative recognises that women and girls worldwide bear the daily burden of cooking, fuel collection and preparation. Traditional fuels and stoves, on the other hand, have detrimental effects on their health, the environment, and their quality of life.
The community will take a holistic strategy to effectively empowering its members. It will provide a digital platform for displaying member profiles, hence improving visibility and networking opportunities. As part of market access activities, exhibitions, trade contacts, and industrial visits will be organised. Collaboration with industry leaders and inventors will enable continual innovation in clean cooking solutions. To encourage active member participation, several discussion sessions, platforms, and forums will be organised. Knowledge resources will be developed to raise awareness and provide insights into the clean cooking sector. Members will be able to access information on opportunities for financial support and assist members in accessing these funds. To assist community members in developing their skills and entrepreneurial spirit, capacity-building activities and entrepreneurship programmes will be undertaken. WMEC recognises the untapped potential of women to contribute towards ongoing innovation of clean cooking technology and the development of a just, inclusive and vibrant clean cooking sector. By building a supportive community, enhancing access to resources and expertise, and fostering innovation, WMEC aims to be a driving force for advancing gender equity in India’s modern energy cooking sector.
Find out more about WMEC in the brochure.
