We are pleased to invite you to the 9th session of the Talk Series: Phase IV on Modern Energy Cooking, titled “Women in Modern Energy Cooking (WMEC)”, to be held online on 5 March 2026. The Talk Series is organised by the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) Programme, UK, through its in-country partner Finovista, and will be conducted as a webinar under the Energy Dozen initiative.As India advances toward cleaner and modern cooking solutions, the transition to electric and other modern energy-based cooking technologies presents both significant opportunities and challenges. Cooking in India remains a highly gendered activity, with women bearing primary responsibility for household cooking, fuel management, and kitchen-related labour. Improving access to clean cooking solutions therefore has a direct and transformative impact on women’s health, safety, and well-being, while also contributing to climate change mitigation and sustainable development.

Beyond household benefits, increased participation of women in the modern energy cooking transition can enhance their decision-making power and open new economic opportunities. Women can play critical roles as entrepreneurs, designers, technicians, programme implementers, and after-sales service providers. In this way, clean cooking is not only an energy transition, but also a pathway to women’s empowerment and more inclusive governance within the energy ecosystem.

Recognising this, the Women in Modern Energy Cooking (WMEC) initiative was launched under the MECS Programme to place women at the centre of India’s modern energy cooking ecosystem. WMEC adopts a women-driven approach that strengthens participation not only as end users, but also as entrepreneurs, practitioners, researchers, and decision-makers. Through stakeholder consultations, dialogues, and a dedicated roundtable, WMEC has identified key gender-related challenges, gaps, and opportunities across clean cooking policies and programmes.

Key WMEC interventions include enhanced participation through Talk Series sessions, MEC Forums, and focused roundtables, which have created platforms for women to share insights, influence policy discussions, and strengthen representation in the sector. At the grassroots level, WMEC has collaborated with women-led self-help groups, Anganwadis, and community organisations to conduct training, demonstrations, and awareness programmes. Capacity-building initiatives, including entrepreneurship development programmes, have supported women entrepreneurs through hands-on training, mentorship, and market exposure.

These efforts have informed broader ecosystem-building initiatives such as The Energy Dozen, implemented in collaboration with FSR Global, the Delegation of the European Union to India, and UN Women India, which highlights women leaders across policy, technology, research, and implementation.

Session 4.9 of the Talk Series aims to reflect on the WMEC journey and explore how modern energy cooking initiatives can better integrate gender perspectives, enable women’s leadership, and strengthen adoption outcomes. The session will bring together policymakers, practitioners, industry actors, researchers, and women leaders and participants from Energy Dozen to identify priority actions for advancing a just, inclusive, and sustainable clean cooking transition in India.