Rural electrification and women empowerment in Uganda: Evidence from Micro-data

Abstract

Access to electricity has been revealed to fast-track occasions for women by moving them into more profitable exercises, however whether development in financial results likewise norms from change gender standards and practices inside the family unit stays indistinct. This examination analyses the linkages between electricity access and women strengthening, utilizing two waves 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 panel data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBS). To measure women empowerment decision-making ability, including: (i) Time allocation on different activities, (ii) household assets ownership and income (iii) Contraception Method adopt. Based on Fixed Effect models, the investigation discovers that electricity access improves all indicators of women’s strengthening. Income and assets values are higher in Electricity users household compared to other Household with no access to electricity, time allocation for different economics activities is identified through Hours spent weekly in different home activities such as Fetching water, Firewood collection, food processing and farming activities, our results show the total numeral of hours used up in those home-based accomplishments are less for Electricity users households compare to electricity non-users. Finally for the contraception Method adopts, the results of our study have highlighted the likelihood of contraception use among electricity users’ versus non electricity users. This could be explained by the access to health information from mass media (TV, Radios, smart, phones...) on the other side non users are limited to public health education provided in general meeting in their community, the electricity users will benefit both information. This study suggests that electric energy access can be a significant for policy makers aimed improving the equity and gender equality for social transformation.