A causal effect of domestic energy use on women's health: Evidence from Ethiopia

Abstract

In low-income countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, exposure to indoor air pollution caused by inefficient energy for cooking is a threat to the health of women who lead the household economy. This can impact their productive time, reducing productivity, and increasing poverty among them. Thus, it raises concerns for women’s prospects and health due to the lack of clean energy for domestic use. However, the literature on the causal effect on women’s health is scarce. I exploit a unique household panel dataset from Ethiopia using the two-stage-least-square estimator (2SLS). I find no evidence to support the hypothesis that women using clean cooking energy experience improved health in the short run. However, I did find that women who use clean energy for cooking, on average, work approximately 11 hours more per week for wages compared to women who use unclean energy for cooking. These findings strongly suggest microlevel policies supporting women in adopting clean energy for domestic use.