Women Empowerment through Productivity, Rural Development and Technology: Assessment of Cross Linkages within a Village of Maharashtra, India

Rural villages struggle due to low electrification, using age-old methods of gathering water, unhygienic conditions, difficulty to access and low-quality medical facilities, and lack of food security and educational opportunities, all contributing to extreme poverty. Available energy sources play a role in each of these, including water, electricity, and cooking fuels. One of the significant needs is water, as it is most required for doing any activity daily, and it is necessary for life. This study examined the role of energy sources in women villagers’ lives whose daily household tasks demand much physical exertion and time. An ethnographic study involved the research team living among the villagers for several days. Data collection also included mapping water sources distances and routes, electrification assessment, interviews villagers and officials, assessing the method and physical risks involved in daily water collection. Results revealed significant hardships borne by women due to the inaccessibility of power, physical accidents while carrying water on uneven, unsafe terrain, loss of productivity due to low quality electricity and traditional water collection methods, and lack of resources. The paper discusses the importance of the role technology can play in improving the lives of women villagers. Introducing an innovative water system that delivers water directly to households would significantly improve these women’s quality of life in terms of time, health risks, and ease of doing household chores.