WUNRN
16 December 2009 – The United
Nations today launched a pilot project to provide fuel-efficient stoves to some
150,000 women in
The Safe Access to Firewood and Alternative Energy in Humanitarian Settings (SAFE) stoves initiative organized by the World Food Programme (WFP) and other UN agencies, will be rolled out next year to reach eventually up to 6 million refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees in 36 nations, where they are forced to walk further and further into the bush into unsafe areas to collect firewood.
“Women
and girls should not have to risk their lives and dignity, and precious trees
should not be lost, in the simple act of trying to cook food for their
families,” WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said. “The SAFE stoves launch
will help protect them and the environment with practical and urgently needed
solutions.”
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon also welcomed
the project at an event in
He
described the initiative as showing “a virtuous circle in action, thanks to
technology – environmental protection… improved safety for women… access to
clean energy for the poor… enhanced climate security.”
The
project “is a simple, inexpensive and win-win solution… [that will] provide
immediate, tangible benefits to their users,” he added.
WFP
researchers have found that some women spend a full day’s wages on firewood alone.
Others sell off food rations to purchase fuel. The SAFE project will scale up
distribution of fuel-efficient and “improved mud” stoves to assist almost
100,000 women in
In
Project
partners include the Women’s Refugee Commission, the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
and the UN Environment programme (UNEP).
================================================================
To contact the list administrator, or to leave the list, send an email to: wunrn_listserve-request@lists.wunrn.com.
Thank you.