In this issue, you will hear from NGOs and international agencies about their commitments to bring cleaner fuels and technologies to people living in the most extreme circumstances - refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) The first quarter of 2007 has been busy with household energy and health activities! International gatherings took place in many corners of the world, from the annual ETHOS conference in Washington State, USA, in January, to the Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for CSD-15 at the United Nations in February, an international household energy seminar in Bolivia and the 3rd Biennial PCIA Forum in India in March, among other important events. A common theme resonating among these events has been "commitments" - by practitioners, private enterprise and policy makers alike, to dedicate resources and political will to bring cleaner fuels and technologies to the millions of people who suffer the consequences of polluted air and unhealthful cooking practices. These commitments provide inspiration and hope that together we can make a significant impact on the lives of millions of people around the world.
In this issue, you will hear from NGOs and international agencies about their commitments to bring cleaner fuels and technologies to people living in the most extreme circumstances - refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other populations in need of humanitarian assistance. Ensuring that refugees and IDPs not only have food to survive but the means to prepare it has long been a challenge in need of workable solutions. The circumstances of refugee settings are particularly challenging: fuelwood and other biomass resources are scarce to nonexistent, gender-based violence is rampant, and the sheer number of families in need is daunting. Solutions for these settings must be large in scale and require strong coordination among aid agencies.
As you will read, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, and other leading agencies recognize the health and environmental impacts associated with traditional biomass cooking, have put a priority on addressing the gender-based violence that accompanies fuelwood gathering, and are taking leadership in seeking solutions that carefully weigh the costs and benefits of a wide range of technologies and fuels. Several PCIA partners are working closely with UNHCR and other agencies to bring clean, affordable and appropriate technologies to these settings. We hear from two such partners in this issue, and look forward to sharing the experiences of others in the future.
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Read more about the Partnership for Clean Indoor Air on the HEDON pages
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