Gender Differentiated Impacts of Kerosene Subsidy Reform in Bangladesh

The report examines from a gender perspective the impact of subsidies and reform to kerosene in Bangladesh. The research was based around two overall research questions: “How do existing kerosene or LPG subsidy policies affect the welfare, productivity and empowerment of women and girls in low-income households?” and “How might this change given a change in subsidy policy or mitigation measures?” These questions were explored using secondary data, household surveys (that reached 630 households) and focus group discussions. The questions were answered within the context of hypotheses made during the scoping phase and literature review for the research. This research attempted to answer the above questions in relation to an income effect, energy use effect and an energy supply effect, from a gender perspective. The report is part of a broader project that also examined gender and fossil fuel subsidies in India and Nigeria.