In South Africa, over one million households continue to rely on polluting fuels such as wood, coal and paraffin. This reliance perpetuates health risks, environmental degradation and entrenched gender inequalities, and contributes to time poverty as women spend hours each week such as collecting firewood instead of pursuing education, employment or rest.
To address these challenges, the United Nations in South Africa, in partnership with the Joint SDG Fund and technically led by UN Women South Africa, will convene the Dialogue on Pathways for Women’s Economic Empowerment through Clean Cooking Solutions on 5 December 2025 in Nkangala District, Mpumalanga.
The Dialogue will identify practical strategies that place women at the centre of clean cooking value chains, reduce time poverty, improve health, protect the environment and create new opportunities for inclusive growth. It advances South Africa’s just energy transition and contributes to SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy, SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 3 on good health and well-being, and SDG 13 on climate action.
The discussions are expected to generate recommendations for gender-responsive policy and frameworks, consolidate a catalogue of clean cooking technologies relevant to South Africa, and outline pathways to inclusive financing, institutional coordination and capacity building for women-led enterprises. Stakeholders will also contribute to the development of a draft Gender Responsive National Clean Cooking Strategy and Financing Plan, while strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships to scale inclusive clean cooking solutions across communities.
Event programme
The programme will feature opening addresses by Dr Hazel Gooding, Deputy Representative of UN Women South Africa, and Hon. Deputy Minister Samantha Graham-Maré, Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, alongside an expert panel of industry leaders, innovators and women entrepreneurs driving clean cooking solutions.
