2015/40 97844 k nKonw A A weldegdeg e ol n oNtoet e s eSrei r e ise s f ofro r p r&a c t hteh e nEenregryg y Etx itcrea c t i v e s G l o b a l P r a c t i c e The bottom line Improving Gender Equality and Rural Livelihoods in Senegal Launched in 2011, the Second Sustainable and Participatory through Sustainable and Participatory Energy Management: Energy Management Project for Senegal has been hailed Senegal’s PROGEDE II Project for effectively mainstreaming a gender perspective into an energy project. Under Fatoumata Souaré is a hero in Tambacounda, a rural, forested area Access Program (AFREA), the project has utilized gender consider- the project, women have 250 miles southeast of Dakar. She and her children own and operate ations to improve its impact.1 participated more in decision a sustainable charcoal production business that nets some $2,800 making; developed skills every three months. The income has allowed Souaré, who lost her The links between poverty, energy, and gender in technical production, husband a few years ago, to build a new house, install a solar panel, With a per capita income of $1,046,2 Senegal has demonstrated entrepreneurship, and send her children to school, and purchase health insurance for her consistent economic growth of approximately 4 percent since 2003 organizational management; family (World Bank 2014). (World Bank 2010). Yet almost half of Senegal’s 14 million citizens still and benefitted from increased Fatouma is one of many Senegalese who have benefited live in poverty, and 15 percent live in extreme poverty (IDA, IFC, and incomes. from the Senegal Second Sustainable and Participatory Energy MIGA 2013). Management Project (PROGEDE II), sponsored by the World Bank and Poverty, energy, and gender in Senegal are inextricably linked. Nordic Development Fund. Building on Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, which have a poverty rate the success of PROGEDE I, PROGEDE II Alicia Hammond is Awa Seck is a of 57 percent compared with 26 percent in Dakar (IDA, IFC, and a research analyst senior economist in empowers communities while preserv- MIGA 2013). The rural poor are often disproportionately affected with the Gender the Bank’s Energy and ing the forest ecosystems on which by how environmental resources are managed and used because Cross-Cutting Extractives Global many poor rural Senegalese families their livelihoods are more dependent on them. Since women are Solutions Area at the World Bank. Practice and the task team leader rely (World Bank 2014). typically responsible for household activities, including the gathering of the PROGEDE II project and the PROGEDE II has also helped families Inka Schomer is a of firewood for cooking, they bear the brunt of limited access to AFREA Gender and Energy diversify their household fuel needs program analyst with program. modern energy services. the AFREA Gender through the use of biogas, supported Senegal faces significant environmental challenges, including and Energy program Vanessa Lopes beekeepers to modernize their craft, in the World Bank’s Energy and Janik is an opera- deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification. The country’s and brought improved seeds and larger Extractives Global Practice. tions officer for the deforestation issues stem in part from the reliance on charcoal yields to farmers (World Bank 2014). Energy Sector Alassane Ngom is a With support from the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program 1 Formed in 2009, the AFREA Gender and Energy Program works toward gender equity household energy (ESMAP), leading the Social Management Assistance Program’s through an energy lens. It aims to develop gender and energy expertise by working with gov- specialist and the ernments and their partners to integrate gender equity into energy institutions, programs, and Inclusion, Gender and Energy (ESMAP) Africa Renewable Energy head of operations of projects. PROGEDE II is one such initiative. program. 2 http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/countries. PROGEDE II. 2 G e n d e r E q u a l i t y, Ru r a l L i v el i h o o d s , a n d E n e r g y M a n a geme n t i n S e n eg a l in urban areas and excessive wood consumption in rural areas. Equity, which aims to promote gender mainstreaming at all levels of In fact, 26 percent of households rely on charcoal and 58 percent government. The policy aims to improve women’s social standing, depend on firewood for their energy needs. The government aims to promote their economic empowerment, strengthen their partici- improve access to modern energy while meeting the population’s pation in decision making, and improve the impact of interventions basic energy needs and using alternative energy sources to relieve related to gender equality and equity. A ministry of gender was pressure on the forests (World Bank 2010). In recognition of these established in 2010, and the government recently launched its new “Senegal has taken steps competing demands, community forest management programs are National Strategy for Gender Equality and Equity, which comes into to improve access to being implemented to promote sustainability and diversification effect in 2015. modern energy. Goals while satisfying energy needs. Senegal has also taken steps to improve access to modern Senegal has made advances with respect to gender. The 2013 energy, while addressing interconnected environmental, economic, include meeting demand Global Gender Gap Report (WEF 2013) ranked the country 67 out of and social issues. In 2008, the government issued a development for household fuels 126, a remarkable gain of 23 places from the previous year, chiefly policy letter on household energy. Specific goals include meeting in an environmentally ascribable to growing numbers of women in parliament.3 Female demand for household fuels in an environmentally sustainably man- sustainably manner and representation almost doubled from 2011 to 2012, moving from 23 ner, emphasizing participatory community resource management, promoting participatory percent to 43 percent as a result of an electoral law that mandates and reducing poverty (World Bank 2010). gender parity in candidate lists.4 community resource Yet disparities that disadvantage women persist in many PROGEDE I: A foundation for learning management.” domains. For example, only 40 percent of women 15 years and older PROGEDE I was implemented from 1997 to 2004 to combat Senegal’s are literate, compared with 66 percent of men; and 53 percent of rapidly growing demand for household fuels and the degradation of women participate in the labor force, compared with 79 percent of forests and the rural environment. Objectives included increasing the men.5 And while evidence shows that women’s ownership of assets availability of traditional fuels in a sustainable manner while boosting can improve well-being at the individual, household, and community household incomes and preserving forest ecosystems. The project levels (Doss and others 2012), Senegalese women lack access to also promoted inter-fuel substitution in the private sector and NGO- means of production, such as land. Discriminatory laws also limit based initiatives to spread the use of improved cookstoves. women’s agency. Married women cannot choose where to live in PROGEDE I reached and exceeded most of its objectives. the same way as men; they are generally restricted from many jobs, Moreover, it was the first forest management program in Senegal including construction and factory work; and married women cannot to actively engage local communities, which has since served as a act as heads of household in the same way as men (World Bank and model for similar initiatives. IFC 2013). Despite the project’s successes, some challenges remained with Senegal has ratified international and regional instruments that respect to the equal participation of men and women. Subsequently, promote women’s rights, including the Convention on the Elimination it was decided that just-in time support on gender issues was of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Protocol to needed. That support was provided under ESMAP’s AFREA Gender the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of and Energy program. Gender experts undertook an external review Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol). At the national level, in 2008 the consisting of a desk review, field visits, interviews, and stakeholder government adopted the National Strategy for Gender Equality and meetings. The outputs of this review confirmed that although PROGEDE I had increased the income of beneficiaries overall, 3 Senegal now ranks 77 out of 142 in the 2014 Global Gender Gap Report. It is among the top 10 countries on the “Women in Parliament” indicator. gender had been inadequately incorporated in the project, with the 4 World Bank Databank, “Proportion of Seats Held by Women in National Parliaments (%),” result that women had benefited only marginally. Further, women http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SG.GEN.PARL.ZS. 5 remained concentrated within the narrow segment of commercial World Bank, World Development Indicators, 2011 figures for literacy and 2012 figures for labor force participation, http://databank.worldbank.org/data/views/reports/tableview.aspx#. gardening, which accounted for only a small share of the project’s 3 G e n d e r E q u a l i t y, Ru r a l L i v el i h o o d s , a n d E n e r g y M a n a geme n t i n S e n eg a l Table 1. Key components of PROGEDE II Promotion and diversification of modern Reform of the charcoal value chain Sustainable wood fuels supply management household energy Support charcoal production through research, Support sustainable community forest Promote efficient cooking equipment and the use of outreach, and training on relevant forestry policies management by training local actors, establishing sustainable biomass energy by supporting improved “Although PROGEDE and the charcoal concession process. nurseries, and restoring degraded land. stove manufacturing and dissemination, sensitizing I had increased the household to these advantages, and providing technical assistance. income of beneficiaries Facilitate access to urban markets and charcoal Consolidate and establish biodiversity community Plan for the demand for household cooking fuels overall, gender had been production sites by providing trucks and reserves by inventorying forests and pastoral by researching energy consumption, equipment, rehabilitating forest trails. areas and restoring natural habitats and degraded and wood fuel supply; conduct a gender-sensitive inadequately incorporated land in existing reserves. survey on household fuel prices. in the project, with Diversify income of charcoal traders by providing Promote eco-friendly income-generating Strengthen the capacity of the Directorate of business development training and grants for activities such as gardening, producing biofuels, Petroleum Products and Household Energy by the result that women energy-efficient charcoal-processing units. beekeeping, and producing honey. providing technical assistance and training to civil had benefited only servants. marginally. Following the Source: World Bank. review of PROGEDE I, the project team made income-generating activities. Women also played a limited role in Promoting equitable decision making an effort to incorporate decision making. PROGEDE I established community-based forest To decentralize the management of environmental and natural management systems that built on Senegal’s forest policy, but gender mainstreaming resources while reducing rural poverty, Senegal’s forest policy women took part in a minimal capacity and had limited influence. recommendations into stipulates that local governments and communities take charge. In Following the review of PROGEDE I, the project team made an support of that goal, PROGEDE I founded informal inter-village man- PROGEDE II.” effort to incorporate gender mainstreaming recommendations into agement and development committees. On average, however, women PROGEDE II. They focused on increasing female participation in comprised only about 16 percent of the committee members. decision-making bodies, particularly forest management systems, With this disparity in mind, PROGEDE II initiated a reform of and on ensuring that women benefited more equitably from these local management structures, which are referred to as CIVGFs income-generating activities. (inter-village forest management committees). The three CIVGFs—for southern, central, and eastern Senegal—have four components: PROGEDE II: More women as decision makers, the village contact group, the general assembly, the management income producers, and sustainable forest managers committee, and the executive committee. PROGEDE II aims to contribute to the increase in availability of After a concerted effort, women now make up between 33 and diversified household fuels in a sustainable and gender-equitable 50 percent of these various components. way, and to raise the income of participating communities while The village contact group serves as the main point of contact for preserving the forest ecosystems. Main project components include the community. Members of the group, half of whom are women, are reform of the charcoal value chain; sustainable wood fuels supply tasked with sharing information and mobilizing community members management; and promotion and diversification of modern house- for project-related activities. The high rate of participation by women hold energy (table 1). has encouraged other women to take part in project-related activities and provided them with a direct source of information; they no longer have to negotiate access to information through their male partners. 4 G e n d e r E q u a l i t y, Ru r a l L i v el i h o o d s , a n d E n e r g y M a n a geme n t i n S e n eg a l Women also make up half of each CIVGF general assembly. This Figure 1.  Women’s participation in CIVGF management and group approves the organization’s budget and sets guidelines for executive committees implementation. In addition to having a direct role in the control of Management committees Executive committees* their committee’s resources, women now also participate in making 60 the rules that govern its functioning. 350 60 54 305 The share of women on the CIVGF management committees is 300 50 “Evidence suggests that approximately 40 percent (figure 1). At this level of leadership, among 250 40 the shift to more balanced other responsibilities, women serve as intermediaries between the 200 leadership roles between local authorities and their communities. In this capacity, they have 30 150 135 24 24 the opportunity to serve publicly as representatives and role models 131 22 men and women has 20 for other women who may aspire to similar positions. 100 11 already led to a rapid The executive committees are the primary management arm 54 55 10 50 22 increase in the number of the CIVGFs, with the share of women ranging between 35 and 0 0 South Center East South Center East of women engaging in 42 percent (figure 1). In the three key positions on the executive Zone of Senegal Zone of Senegal various income-generating committee (chairperson, secretary general, and treasurer), one Members Number of women observes a boost for women, who previously were underrepresented activities, such as charcoal and occupied less central positions. They now occupy 17 percent of *Figures are based on table 2 but do not include block supervisors. production, which has the positions of chairperson, 43 percent of the positions of secretary Source: World Bank. had positive effects at the general, and 70 percent of the positions of treasurer (table 2). individual, household, and Anecdotal evidence suggests that the shift to more balanced Furthermore, women increasingly participate in training sessions leadership roles between men and women has already led to a rapid on forest cutting and carbonization techniques, pursuits formerly community levels.” increase in the number of women engaging in various income-gen- dominated by men in accordance with traditional gender roles erating activities, such as charcoal production, which has had governing the division of labor. For example, women typically used positive effects at the individual, household, and community levels. wood for household activities, such as meal preparation, rather than Table 2. Women’s representation on CIVGF executive committees Number of women occupying positions Assistant Assistant Vice Secretary secretary Treasurer treasurer Block Zone No. of CIVGFs Chairperson chairperson general general general general supervisor South 9 1 4 6 4 3 4 5 Center 4 0 2 3 0 4 2 0 East 10 3 0 1 5 9 6 0 Total 23 4 6 10 9 16 12 5 Note: Each CIVGF has 6 positions. For example, in the South there are 54 positions (9 CIVGFs x 6 = 54). Source: World Bank. 5 G e n d e r E q u a l i t y, Ru r a l L i v el i h o o d s , a n d E n e r g y M a n a geme n t i n S e n eg a l for commercial purposes. However, approximately 649 women in Women also continue to dominate market gardening, as they did the eastern zone and 369 women in the southern zone now operate under PROGEDE I, with a 100 percent training rate. Vegetables such commercially in this sector. as tomatoes, beans, and pumpkins are used both for household and commercial purposes. In addition to providing an income stream, Building technical and leadership skills market gardening has begun to shift household gender dynamics, “Under the project, as women increasingly act as the providers of food for the family. PROGEDE II has offered training sessions to enable women to benefit the number of women Furthermore, the availability of these vegetables at the household equitably from the project. The training falls under two main themes. level has increased access to nutritious foods. trained in cutting and • Developing technical skills. Sessions focus on various carbonization techniques techniques and methods, such as charcoal production, commercial gardening, beekeeping, production of seedlings, and Boosting incomes and improving livelihoods for charcoal production forest monitoring. Overall, the activities initiated under PROGEDE II enabled benefi- has risen substantially, ciaries to increase their income and make tangible improvements • Strengthening leadership capacity. Sessions build allowing more women to in their lives. These activities included wood energy production organizational and management skills that enable women to engage in the commercial using sustainable forest management techniques as well as various serve as effective leaders on forest management committees. agriculture and pastoral activities such as horticulture, beekeeping, exploitation of wood and improved poultry raising. energy.” Under the project, the number of women trained in cutting and Previously, local communities benefited from only 6 percent carbonization techniques for charcoal production has risen substan- of the total income derived from sustainable forest management tially—from 0 percent to 21 percent overall (table 3)—allowing more and income-generating activities. Of that share, less than 3 percent women to engage in the commercial exploitation of wood energy. reached women, who were virtually excluded from the commercial Women continue to request additional training because of the exploitation of charcoal. Reforms to forest management initiated by profitability of subsequent activities. the project have increased the share that communities receive to Table 3. Women trained under PROGEDE II Types of training, number of women trained, and total number of people trained in each of five activities Charcoal production Market gardening Hydroponic culture Beekeeping Forest monitoring Zone Women Total Women Total Women Total Women Total Women Total South 369 1,308 30 30 n.a. n.a. 0 0a 1 29 Center 0 0 25 25 0 8 8 30 0 0b East 649 3,466 30 30 n.a. n.a. 7 32 1 46 Totals 1,018 4,774 85 85 0 8 15 62 2 75 a. Training in beekeeping has since begun in the South zone. b. Training in forest monitoring has since begun in the Center zone. Source: World Bank. 6 G e n d e r E q u a l i t y, Ru r a l L i v el i h o o d s , a n d E n e r g y M a n a geme n t i n S e n eg a l Table 4. Total income from major activities and women’s share, Figure 2. Success factors and constraints in gender 2011–13 (in CFA francs) mainstreaming Zones Total income Women’s share Factors for Success Constraints East 2,379,939,715 419,766,965 (18%) “Gender-disaggregated • Mainstreaming gender considerations • The strong influence of Center 17,884,015 13,774,245 (77%) in planning, particularly at the level of customs and traditions indicators helped the the development objective • Low levels of education team capture quantitative South 5,862,684,865 595,662,765 (10%) • Budget for gender mainstreaming among women differences between • Recruiting personnel with gender • The negative perception of Total 8,260,508,595 1,029,203,975 (12%) men and women as well expertise gender as a “Western” • Training locally elected representatives concept as qualitative changes, Note: The activities covered in this table are charcoal production, market gardening, intensified agriculture, and beekeeping. and opinion leaders in gender issues reflecting shifts in women’s Source: World Bank. empowerment or changes Source: Authors. in attitudes towards gender 52 percent, mainly from charcoal production. In fact, 1,018 women Senegal (table 5). Including gender in the PDO informed the overall equality.” have become charcoal producers because of PROGEDE II. Further, approach to project implementation and made it possible to address women earned a 12 percent share of the total income from major gender concerns at various levels of implementation. project activities between 2011 and 2013 (table 4). Additionally, women were targeted in the intermediate outcome Although additional increases are expected in the years to indicators, as outlined in table 5. Some project components also come, women still command a small share of project activities. This incorporated sex-disaggregated measures to track women’s is primarily because the most profitable activity, the commercial participation, with the aim of obtaining between 50 and 80 percent exploitation of charcoal, is still dominated by men. But the strong participation in various project activities. Gender-disaggregated demand from women for training in forest exploitation demonstrates indicators helped the team capture quantitative differences between that it is possible to correct this gender imbalance.6 men and women as well as qualitative changes, reflecting shifts in women’s empowerment or changes in attitudes towards equality Success factors and constraints (ESMAP 2013). The availability of a budget for mainstreaming also contributed to Several success factors and a few constraints have been identified the success of PROGEDE II. Adequate funding enabled activities tar- with respect to gender mainstreaming in the implementation of geted to women, such as the aforementioned training opportunities PROGEDE II (figure 2). and support for market gardening. Ensuring that the project team Considering and incorporating gender, particularly during the included personnel with gender expertise also facilitated success: planning stage, has been a key factor of success. PROGEDE II speci- PROGEDE II recruited three gender experts to assist in identifying, fied gender equality goals at various levels. Gender was identified in implementing, and monitoring project activities. Viewing the project the project development objective (PDO), which is part of the formal through a gender lens helped the team understand the ways in partnership agreement between the World Bank and government of which more gender-equitable outcomes could be achieved. Another success factor was the full participation of target 6 Although Senegal’s Center zone accounts for a small share of the total income from proj- communities. Rather than treating communities as homogeneous ect activities, the women’s share in that income is more than three-quarters. Women receive a entities, the team made an effort to understand that each com- much smaller share of income in the East and South zones, the absolute amount earned is high, suggesting that many women are benefitting. munity consists of people of varying opinions and needs. Special 7 G e n d e r E q u a l i t y, Ru r a l L i v el i h o o d s , a n d E n e r g y M a n a geme n t i n S e n eg a l Table 5. Gender sensitivity reflected in PROGEDE II’s objective and indicators Project Development Objective To increase the availability of diversified household fuels in a sustainable and gender-equitable way, and to increase the income of participating communities while preserving forest ecosystems Gender-Sensitive Outcome Indicator Use of the Indicator “Since I started producing Income of participating communities (broken down by women, men and To better understand the contribution of sustainable wood fuel strategies for charcoal in 2010, I have youth), with a target of $34 million at the end of the project from the baseline rural poverty alleviation, particularly for women achieved many things of $18 million/year Number of direct/indirect beneficiaries of sustainable community forest thanks to my work. I have management activities, with targets of 260,000 (from a baseline of 108,000), bought a house. I have half of whom are women To measure how women are benefiting from the project started building. I have Number of direct/indirect beneficiaries from income-generating activities with a target of 575,000 from a baseline of 250,000, 80 percent of whom are even bought a motorcycle women and also a TV set. I have Note: The activities covered in this table are charcoal production, market gardening, intensified agriculture, and beekeeping. purchased a solar panel Source: World Bank. and installed it on the house. I also pay for the efforts were made to use gender-sensitive communications to • Raise awareness and advocacy among opinion leaders at the studies of my children engage women and to schedule meetings and training sessions with local and national levels women’s needs in mind. • Reinforce the technical and organizational capacities of women at school.” Engaging community and opinion leaders was also as an import- —Fatoumata Souaré • Evaluate the socioeconomic effects of gender mainstreaming. ant enabling factor in the successful implementation of activities. Elected representatives and other opinion leaders received training in gender issues and were then able to educate others about the References importance of gender equality in their communities.7 Doss, Cheryl, Carmen Diana Deere, Abena D. Oduro, and Suchitra J. Although PROGEDE II emerged as a model for community Y. 2012. The Rural Gender Asset and Wealth Gaps: Evidence from engagement and gender equality in energy projects, it was not with- Ghana, Ecuador, Uganda, and Karnataka, India. Indian Institute of out constraints. Deep-rooted customs and traditions had a strong Management, Bangalore. influence on communities and have persisted as barriers to women’s ESMAP (Energy Sector Management Assistance Program). 2013. participation. Further, many community members perceived gender “Integrating Gender Considerations into Energy Operations.” as a “Western” concept that contradicted their belief systems. World Bank, Washington, DC. https://openknowledge.worldbank. Low levels of education among women also impeded their full and org/handle/10986/17479. meaningful participation. IDA (International Development Association), IFC (International The need to consolidate gains is paramount so that women and Finance Corporation), and MIGA (Multilateral Investment men continue to benefit more equally from the positive outcomes Guarantee Agency). 2013 “Country Partnership Strategy (FY brought about by PROGEDE II. In the context of its partnership with 2013–17) for the Republic of Senegal.” Washington, DC. AFREA, PROGEDE II will continue to: January 18. WEF (World Economic Forum). 2013. The Global Gender Gap Report 2013. Geneva. http://www.weforum.org/reports/ 7 Further details on the overall project can be found in the video entitled “Energy to Change Women’s Lives in Africa,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_On6SaFbY. global-gender-gap-report-2013. 8 G e n d e r E q u a l i t y, Ru r a l L i v el i h o o d s , a n d E n e r g y M a n a geme n t i n S e n eg a l World Bank. 2010. “Project Appraisal Document, Second Sustainable This issue of Live Wire was prepared by a team consisting of Awa Seck Make further and Participatory Energy Management Project, Senegal and Vanessa Lopes Janik (task team leaders), and Alicia Hammond, Inka (PROGEDE II).” Washington, DC. May 20. Schomer, and Alassane Ngom (lead authors). It draws from an official report connections on PROGEDE II prepared by Alassane Ngom for the Ministry of Environment World Bank. 2014. “Community-Led Sustainable Forest Management and Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Energy and Renewable Live Wire 2014/7. Program Creates Wealth for Rural Families and New Energy Energy Development of the Republic of Senegal. Initial analysis and technical “Understanding the Sources in Senegal.” June 10. http://www.worldbank.org/en/ contributions to the work were made by Dominique Lallement, Salimata Differences between news/feature/2014/06/10/community-led-sustainable-for- Ba, Yacine Diagne, Sebastian Rodriguez, Yvette Bossman, Koffi Ekouevi, and Cookstoves,” by Koffi Ekouevi, est-management-program-creates-wealth-for-rural-fami- Marjorie Araya. The text was peer reviewed by Adriana Eftimie and Richard Kate Kennedy Freeman, and lies-and-new-energy-sources-in-senegal. Hosier. The team would like to thank AFREA management and Meike van Ruchi Soni. World Bank and IFC (International Finance Corporation). 2013. Ginneken for their guidance and support, as well as Vera Songwe, the World Bank’s country director for Senegal, for her overall support. Without the full Women, Business and the Law 2014: Removing Restrictions to Live Wire 2014/8. “Tracking engagement of the Senegalese government and the PROGEDE team this work Enhance Gender Equality. Washington, DC: World Bank. Access to Nonsolid Fuel would not have been possible. for Cooking,” by Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee, Elisa Portale, Heather Adair-Rohani, and Sophie Bonjour.