Health equity
Household air pollution disproportionately affects people living in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries
Household air pollution disproportionately affects people living in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries, where poverty levels are high. Populations in these areas often lack access to clean energy options due to unaffordability or inaccessibility. Instead, they rely on polluting fuels that can often be collected for free. Women and children bear the brunt of the burden of household air pollution because they are typically responsible for cooking and collecting fuel.
An analysis published in WHO's Burning Opportunity report reveals that girls in sub-Saharan African households that rely on polluting cooking sources spend three times as many hours each week gathering fuel and water as girls in households that mainly use cleaner stoves and fuels. Some children in households relying on polluting fuels spend about 30 hours per week gathering fuel and water. In addition to the time required to collect fuel and the physical toll from carrying heavy loads, women and children are also vulnerable to animal attacks, injury from rough terrain, and sexual assault while collecting fuel alone.
Clean household energy can reduce the burden of adverse air pollution-related impacts among rural populations, especially women and children, and subsequently improve health and well-being. Clean energy can decrease the amount of time spent cooking given that clean energy devices are generally easier to light and cook faster due to increased efficiency. The burden of fuel collection is also reduced given a decreased need for biomass fuel. With clean energy sources, men and other household members are more likely to share in the tasks of cooking and obtaining fuel refills. The time that women save from reduced cooking and fuel collection can be used to care for children, complete household tasks, obtain an education, earn income, or rest. The clean energy sector can also empower women by providing opportunities for employment in designing, selling, and promoting the use of clean household energy solutions.
