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Written by: Nombulelo MalingaNkangala District, Mpumalanga – Globally, 2.3 billion people still lack access to clean cooking, which refers to safe, modern energy solutions such as liquefied petroleum gas and bioethanol. Millions of households continue to rely on wood, coal and paraffin, exposing women and children to toxic smoke, environmental degradation and the burden of hours spent collecting firewood. Household air pollution from these fuels causes more than three million premature deaths each year.Against this backdrop, the United Nations in South Africa, together with the Joint SDG Fund and technically led by UN Women, with participation from UNIDO and SEforALL, convened the Dialogue on Pathways for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship through Clean Cooking Solutions in Nkangala District. The event also marked the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, reaffirming women’s rights and leadership as central to sustainable development.Welcoming participants, the Nkangala District Municipality highlighted its commitment to being a “future-ready, climate-smart hub” and an economic centre for renewable energy.Dr. Hazel Gooding, Deputy Representative of UN Women South Africa, emphasised the urgency of accelerating clean cooking solutions:“Millions of households still rely on harmful fuels. Women spend hours collecting firewood, while toxic indoor air pollution takes lives and limits economic participation. Clean cooking is not just about energy; it is about empowerment. When households have access to modern clean solutions, women are safer, healthier and able to participate fully in economic and social life.”Mr. Thebe Mamakoko, Senior Energy Negotiator at the Department of Electricity and Energy, added:“As a department, we are honoured to join this engagement on accelerating clean cooking, which supports inclusive economic growth. Success at scale requires unified standards and strong coordination to mobilise financing and ensure long-term sustainability. Commitment, coordination and clarity of vision will deliver clean, safe and modern energy for households across South Africa.”The dialogue moved from high-level framing into panel discussions, where experts and entrepreneurs examined South Africa’s clean cooking value chains, industry practices in manufacturing and distribution, and pathways for women-led enterprises. Later sessions focused on strengthening institutional coordination and developing financing strategies to empower women entrepreneurs.Convened under the mandate of the Joint SDG Fund, one of the UN’s flagship instruments for accelerating integrated SDG solutions, the Dialogue brought together government leaders, UN agencies, financiers, entrepreneurs, innovators and community voices to generate actionable recommendations for national policy and a gender-responsive acceleration of clean cooking solutions.Entrepreneurs in attendance, including clean cooking innovators, training providers and alternative energy suppliers, expressed appreciation for the dialogue and echoed the urgency of advancing clean cooking solutions. They noted that while innovation is strong, barriers remain in accessing financing and in moving from concept to implementation at scale. These concerns fed directly into the Dialogue’s outcomes, where participants identified priority thematic areas to guide the next phase of South Africa’s clean cooking journey.Outcomes:
As a starting point, participants identified five key thematic areas to guide the next phase of South Africa’s clean cooking journey. These areas provide a strategic framework for collaboration and policy development:Clean Cooking Landscape and Existing Value Chains: Mapping current practices and opportunities for scale.Industry-Specific Practices: Advancing manufacturing, distribution and women’s empowerment within clean cooking value chains.Pathways for Women Entrepreneurs: Unlocking opportunities across the sector and ensuring women’s leadership in enterprise development.Institutional Coordination and Implementation: Strengthening arrangements to advance gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.Financing Plan Development: Designing strategies to empower women entrepreneurs and ensure long-term sustainability.These thematic areas will inform future work, ensuring that clean cooking is advanced not only as an energy intervention but as a driver of inclusive economic growth, gender equality and community well-being.