Beyond Firewood: Fuel Alternatives and Protection Strategies for Displaced Women and Girls

Displaced women demonstrating fuel-efficient mud stoves in North Darfur

The environment that surrounds refugee or internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, particularly in situations of ongoing conflict, is notoriously dangerous. Yet every day, in hundreds of camps around the world, millions of women and girls venture out into this danger, risking rape, assault, abduction, theft, exploitation or even murder, in order to collect enough firewood to cook with or to sell in order to survive. Rarely is cooking fuel provided by the humanitarian community, and even more rarely do men collect the wood. The risks associated with firewood collection have been well known for years, yet few effective strategies are in place to combat the problem.

The Women’s Commission is advocating for solutions that reduce displaced women and girls’ vulnerability to gender-based violence (GBV) as they collect firewood. P hysical protection strategies can actively prevent attack during the collection of firewood. The development of alternative sources of cooking fuel , on the other hand, can help to lessen the potential for attack.

View a photo essay on fuel alternatives and protection solutions

In the report, Beyond Firewood: Fuel Alternatives and Protection Strategies for Displaced Women and Girls, the Women’s Commission outlines alternative fuel options, firewood collection techniques and other protection strategies that should be used in displaced and refugee situations worldwide.

To be effective, however, all strategies aimed at reducing the threat to women and girls should be accompanied by the development of income-generation activities. Women and girls must be able to earn a living in ways other than collecting or selling firewood.

Learn More:

Read the full report, Beyond Firewood: Fuel Alternatives and Protection Strategies for Displaced Women and Girls and/or the companion publications: