Thread by @MumukshuSavitri

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Priyanka Gandhi says“Empowerment doesn't mean a gas cylinder or a toilet. It means self-reliance. Women should be able to decide their own priorities, make their own life & fight against all exploitation.”

Have LPG or toilets have made any difference to India’s women?

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In 2017 an FSG study funded by Shell Foundation revealed 80% of rural women use biomass fuel to cook. They spent almost 4.5 hours daily on cooking & related activities. Most of this time was spent on gathering & preparing biomass fuels which are highly inefficient to cook with.

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The study found that women using LPG for cooking spent 3 hours less than those who used biomass fuels. LPG users saved 1 hour of cooking time, 1.5 hours on gathering cooking fuels & 1/2 hour on cleaning less dirty utensils. Does 3 hours extra every day not enable self-reliance?

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In 2020 Sambodh Research in collaboration with Unicef & Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation conducted a study on the effects of gaining access to toilets for safety, convenience and self-respect of women in rural India.

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The study revealed that 93% of women were no longer afraid of being hurt by other people or animals while defecating. 93% of women also reported no longer being afraid of contracting health infections. Having access to toilets gave women a huge boost against exploitation.

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Women no longer had to travel to & from the open sites, saving both time & preventing anxiety of family at home. 91% of the women stated that they would travel up to 1 hour to before having access to a toilet, while 98% said that they would travel up to a kilometre.

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Building of toilets saved this time, 88% of women reported spending saved time on household chores, 11% on leisure, sleeping & eating and 1% were utilizing it for occupation- related work. Does this freeing up of time not lead to self-reliance or freeing up priorities?

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For women a big aspect of self reliance is hygiene, privacy & dignity in managing with menstruation. This was a huge stress for women. After owning a toilet, 77% of women reported feeling stress-free about menstruation as opposed to 27% when they did not own a toilet.

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Increased time, health, safety, convenience, privacy, hygiene & self-respect are key to gaining self reliance for women in India. LPG & Toilets introduced by the Indian govt. have empowered women of rural India with a huge boost & relief paving the way for their self-reliance.

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It is truly shameful that Priyanka Gandhi casually dismisses LPG & toilets as irrelevant to empowerment of women. Does she not want the women of rural India to have access to programs which free up their time to decide their priorities, make their lives & become self-reliant?

All images & data have been taken from reference research papers at:

idronline.org/time-poverty-t…

swachhbharatmission.gov.in/sbmcms/writere…