The lights are on but no (men) are home. The effect of traditional gender roles on perceptions of energy in Kenya

Abstract

This paper explores how men and women’s roles in society are reflected in the way they use and perceive energy in Kenya. Drawing on qualitative data collected from 75 in-depth interviews with energy users around Kenya it suggests that there is a disconnect between the people who benefit from modern energy technologies in a household setting, and the people who purchase them. Gendered roles mean that men do not spend much time in the house; however they often make major purchasing decisions for the household as a result of traditional gender power divisions. The dominant economic position of men leads to a situation in which men do not believe they benefit greatly from modern household energy technologies, but are needed to purchase these very services in order to facilitate increased access to them. For people designing and implementing energy access programs in Kenya and beyond, this represents a significant challenge, and one that is especially pertinent today given the increased popularity of market based models for the dissemination of energy technologies.