Stoves and Land Empower Women in Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 22 (Millenium Challenge Account – Mongolia) — Severe winter air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, has become a major concern for the city's 1.3 million residents, which is nearly half the country's population. A majority of Ulaanbaatar's air pollution comes from districts populated with gers, traditional Mongolian houses where lower-income households live.
Women head many of these ger households. They rely on burning raw coal in inefficient stoves to heat the poorly insulated gers — a primary source of the city's air pollution, which fuels environmental and health risks and causes economic impacts. To address this concern, a facility was established within the scope of the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation's compact with Mongolia to fund financial incentives and technical assistance for adopting cleaner, more efficient technologies for use in heating the gers.
The project's impact on gender issues recently gained international attention with the July 2012 visit of Melanne Verveer, U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women's issues, as part of a women's empowerment conference held in Mongolia.
Verveer paid a visit to Norovkhand, who uses one name, and her family in the Bayanzurkh district outside Ulaanbaatar. Norovkhand obtained a subsidized energy-efficient stove through Millennium Challenge Account–Mongolia, the local entity managing compact implementation. Norovkhand, a single mother of three and a grandmother of one, shared her experiences on how much coal she has saved in using her new stove, compared with the traditional stove she used previously.
Most importantly, the energy-efficient stove, she said, simplifies routine housework since it requires less fueling, generates less ash and is easier to clean.
"It is very affordable and accessible, especially for female-headed households like us, given the subsidies provided by the project," she said.
Norovkhand's family is also among the potential beneficiaries of the hashaa (yard) plot privatization and registration activity under the compact's Property Rights Project. With their land formally registered, Norovkhand's family and many others will have an opportunity to access bank credit, enabling them to make more productive use of their plots.
MCA-Mongolia is tracking the long-term impact of increased asset ownership through its monitoring and evaluation work, which includes a survey on how increasing asset ownership among women affects household dynamics.
To track the difference the compact is making for Mongolians at the household and national level, a number of gender-responsive actions are under way across the program to ensure that women and men benefit equitably from the compact, which is key for sustainable development and economic growth of benefit to all.
Women head many of these ger households. They rely on burning raw coal in inefficient stoves to heat the poorly insulated gers — a primary source of the city's air pollution, which fuels environmental and health risks and causes economic impacts. To address this concern, a facility was established within the scope of the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation's compact with Mongolia to fund financial incentives and technical assistance for adopting cleaner, more efficient technologies for use in heating the gers.
The project's impact on gender issues recently gained international attention with the July 2012 visit of Melanne Verveer, U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women's issues, as part of a women's empowerment conference held in Mongolia.
Verveer paid a visit to Norovkhand, who uses one name, and her family in the Bayanzurkh district outside Ulaanbaatar. Norovkhand obtained a subsidized energy-efficient stove through Millennium Challenge Account–Mongolia, the local entity managing compact implementation. Norovkhand, a single mother of three and a grandmother of one, shared her experiences on how much coal she has saved in using her new stove, compared with the traditional stove she used previously.
Most importantly, the energy-efficient stove, she said, simplifies routine housework since it requires less fueling, generates less ash and is easier to clean.
"It is very affordable and accessible, especially for female-headed households like us, given the subsidies provided by the project," she said.
Norovkhand's family is also among the potential beneficiaries of the hashaa (yard) plot privatization and registration activity under the compact's Property Rights Project. With their land formally registered, Norovkhand's family and many others will have an opportunity to access bank credit, enabling them to make more productive use of their plots.
MCA-Mongolia is tracking the long-term impact of increased asset ownership through its monitoring and evaluation work, which includes a survey on how increasing asset ownership among women affects household dynamics.
To track the difference the compact is making for Mongolians at the household and national level, a number of gender-responsive actions are under way across the program to ensure that women and men benefit equitably from the compact, which is key for sustainable development and economic growth of benefit to all.
Important tips on how you can determine if you should install a wood burning Salamandra or a pellet stove. Avoid buying a pellet stove and be left without heat during a power outage when a wood burning stove could have kept you warm. Avoid back-breaking wood splitting and stacking if a pellet stove is what you really need. Learn about the difference and make an educated decision.
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