Editorial

It is our great pleasure to introduce the theme of gender and energy in this special issue of Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD). This critical topic, or nexus of topics related to both gender and energy, has gained increased attention in academic literature, national and international discourse, and as an area of focus within international development assistance and national development planning. This discourse is a maturing field which has evolved in sophistication and analytic rigour over the years, and today is recognised as one of the most pressing sets of issues related to rural energy service provision, economic empowerment of women and communities, local health and environment concerns, and gender equality in access to education and health services.