Gender and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform in Bangladesh

For LPG, this includes the metal cylinder that contains the gas, the first load of gas in the cylinder and the stove and associated equipment required to use LPG for cooking. [...] The research focused around two main research questions: “How do existing kerosene and LPG subsidy policies affect the welfare, productivity and empowerment of women and girls in low-income households?” and “How might the welfare, productivity and empowerment of women and girls in low-income households change as a result of specific, nationally relevant proposals for the reform of existing kerosen [...] This two-stage approach reflected the facts that: a) the literature review found a paucity of research on the impacts of subsidies themselves on gender; and b) the policy agenda in many countries is focused on the reform of fossil fuel subsidies, such as the phasing out of kerosene, as well as policies to incentivize decentralized renewable energy generation. [...] Specific to Bangladesh How would changes in kerosene subsidy policies affect How might the welfare, productivity and the welfare, productivity and empowerment of women in empowerment of women in low-income low-income households in Barisal, Rangpur, Chittagong in households change as a result of replacing Bangladesh, taking into account: kerosene subsidies (through price change) in • Impacts of the [...] Percentage of HHs willing to replace kerosene with other fuel Despite price controls and potential subsidies, households listed the lack of adequate lighting (92 per cent) and high price of kerosene (85 per cent) as the major reasons why they wanted to replace the fuel, with poor lighting from kerosene seen as the primary reason (Table 6).