Expanding Women's Role in Africa's Modern Off-Grid Lighting Market

Lighting is a basic human need and, along with cooking, is a fundamental driver of fuel demand for low-income households in the developing world. Women and men without access to electricity typically rely on expensive, inefficient and hazardous lighting devices like kerosene lamps and candles to bring light to their homes and businesses. The annual spending for fuel based lighting worldwide approaches $40 billion, and a growing range of modern lighting products that incorporate innovative designs and business models are gaining market share. Modern off-grid lighting devices combine the latest advances in clean energy technology (for example, solar, LED, and advanced batteries) to provide a safe, efficient, affordable alternative to fuel based lighting. This report focuses on women's role in the expanding market for modern off-grid lighting. In the context of access to energy and lighting, the aim of this work is to identify whether there are any women-specific opportunities in the off-grid lighting market that could enhance product profitability while also improving lives.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Alstone, Peter, Niethammer, Carmen, Mendonça, Brendon, Eftimie, Adriana
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2011-10-04
Subjects:	ACCESS TO BANK ACCOUNTS, ACCESS TO FINANCE, ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES, ACCESS TO MARKETS, ACCESSIBILITY, ADVISORY SERVICES, ALTERNATIVE FINANCING, BALANCE SHEET, BANK ACCOUNT, BANK CUSTOMERS, BANKING SERVICES, BANKS, BRIBE, BRIBES, BUSINESS ADVISORY, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, BUSINESSWOMEN, CAPACITY BUILDING, CASH FLOW, COLLATERAL, COLLATERAL REQUIREMENTS, CONSUMER EDUCATION, COOPERATIVES, CREDIT HISTORY, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPMENT BANK, DOWN PAYMENTS, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, ECONOMIC SITUATION, ECONOMIC SITUATION OF WOMEN, ENERGY RESOURCES, EXTENDED FAMILY, EXTENSION, FAMILY MEMBERS, FARMER, FARMERS, FEMALE, FEMALE BORROWERS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, FINANCIAL LITERACY, FINANCIAL MARKETS, FINANCIAL SERVICE, FORMAL BANKING, GENDER, GENDER ASPECTS, GENDER DIFFERENCES, GENDER DIMENSIONS, GENDER FOCUS, GENDER GAP, GENDER ISSUES, GENDER PERSPECTIVE, GENDER SPECIFIC, GENDERS, GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT, GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT, GLOBAL POVERTY, GREENHOUSE GAS, GROUP LENDING, HEALTH RISKS, HOME, HOME ECONOMICS, HOMES, HOUSEHOLD CHORES, HOUSEHOLD DYNAMICS, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLD LEVEL, HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS, HOUSEHOLDS, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, ILLITERACY, IMPACT ASSESSMENTS, INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, INCOMES, INDOOR AIR POLLUTION, INFORMAL FINANCE, INFORMAL FINANCING, INFORMAL NETWORKS, INTEREST RATES, INTERNATIONAL BANK, LABORERS, LACK OF ACCESS, LACK OF CREDIT, LACK OF FINANCE, LACK OF INFORMATION, LEVELS OF EDUCATION, LIVING CONDITIONS, LIVING STANDARDS, LOAN, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, MARITAL STATUS, MARKETING, MARRIED WOMEN, MICRO ENTERPRISES, MICRO-FINANCE, MICRO-FINANCE INSTITUTION, MICROFINANCE, MONEY MANAGEMENT, NEEDS OF WOMEN, NUMBER OF WOMEN, OPEN MARKET, OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, OUTREACH, POLICY FORMULATION, POLICY LEVEL, POLICY MAKERS, POLICY RESEARCH, POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER, POPULATION GROUPS, POPULATION GROWTH, PRACTITIONERS, PRINT MEDIA, PRIVATE SECTOR, PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY, PUBLIC HEALTH, QUANTITATIVE INDICATORS, RADIO, RESPECT, RETAIL BUSINESS, RETAIL BUSINESSES, ROLE OF WOMEN, RURAL AREAS, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, SERVICES TO WOMEN, SINGLE WOMAN, SINGLE WOMEN, SMALL BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, SMALL BUSINESSES, SMALL ENTERPRISES, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS, SOURCES OF FINANCE, SPOUSE, SUPPLY CHAIN, SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TELEVISION, TV, UNMARRIED WOMEN, URBAN AREAS, USE OF ENERGY, WIFE, WILL, WOMAN, WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS, WOMEN EMPLOYEES, WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS, WOMEN IN BUSINESS, WOMEN MANAGERS, WOMEN OWNED ENTERPRISES, WOOD, WORKING CAPITAL, WORKING CONDITIONS,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2011/10/18382065/expanding-womens-role-africas-modern-off-grid-lighting-market https://hdl.handle.net/10986/17487
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