Perceived impact of electricity on productive end use and its reality: Transition from electricity to income for rural Nepalese women

Several studies examine the linkage of rural electrification with enterprises and income however; there is limited study on women's perspective. This study focuses on the perceptions and the tangible realities of rural electrification, income, and enterprises in rural Nepal from the perspective of women. To understand their perception, we select Kavrepalanchok district of Nepal and apply a mixed methods research approach. There are 369 participants in this study, including 230 survey respondents, 67 interviewees, and 72 participants in the focus groups. The result indicates that women highly perceive electricity as a reason for an increased income because of flexible time and saved time through productive use. Though most of them are optimistic about the possibility of business following electrification, there is little electricity consumed in such activities. We found that there is no increase in female employment and the use of electricity in business is marginal. It is also noted that electricity is not a sufficient prerequisite for starting a business and that additional supporting factors are key to harnessing the benefits of electricity at its full potential. Centered in Nepal, this study contributes insights into the role of electricity in increasing women's income and offers policy recommendation on this topic.