DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Star-Light: Smart Street lighting for safety and security to women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa.

Project disclaimer

Disclaimer: The data for this page has been produced from IATI data published by DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY. Please contact them (Show Email Address) if you have any questions about their data.

Description

Now that days are getting shorter, sufficient public lighting is something most of us have to count on. The streetlights by the sidewalk might be taken for granted but when walking in an area where a lightbulb is broken or flickering, many of us get an unnerving feeling. Good public lighting makes people feel safe and can help to reduce the risk of gender-based harassment and violence. Historically cities have been planned and designed by men with little knowledge or concern for how their decisions affect women. Street lighting systems (SLS) are an extension of this marginalisation and are still planned and designed without considering gender-differentiated uses of urban spaces. These issues are exacerbated in many developing regions including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where cities are dimly lit due to the use of non-efficient street lighting technologies, financial challenges, deficient operation, maintenance and limited in-country technical capacity for planning and operations. Our innovation (Starlight), addresses the above challenges with our solar-powered low-cost, flat pack and easy-to-assemble street lighting with motion sensors like in most modern hallways in our apartment buildings and offices. These features help to conserve energy and reduce the financial burdens on Municipalities. Our innovation -- Starlight, uses smart light-emitting diodes (LEDs) because they provide clear economic and environmental performance advantages over traditional high-intensity discharge (HID). Starlight's LEDs cost 79% less than traditional incandescent SLS with an aggregate lifetime of 45,000 hours (~80% greater than traditional systems) due to our motion sensing technology. This project will allow us to demonstrate the relationship between Streetlighting and Gender-Based Violence in Zambia and SSA. Our mission with Starlight is to ensure the safety of local residents, especially women. Starlight will enhance the relationship and trust between the urban poor and the local authorities in Zambia and SSA.

Objectives

Now that days are getting shorter, sufficient public lighting is something most of us have to count on. The streetlights by the sidewalk might be taken for granted but when walking in an area where a lightbulb is broken or flickering, many of us get an unnerving feeling. Good public lighting makes people feel safe and can help to reduce the risk of gender-based harassment and violence. Historically cities have been planned and designed by men with little knowledge or concern for how their decisions affect women. Street lighting systems (SLS) are an extension of this marginalisation and are still planned and designed without considering gender-differentiated uses of urban spaces. These issues are exacerbated in many developing regions including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where cities are dimly lit due to the use of non-efficient street lighting technologies, financial challenges, deficient operation, maintenance and limited in-country technical capacity for planning and operations. Our innovation (Starlight), addresses the above challenges with our solar-powered low-cost, flat pack and easy-to-assemble street lighting with motion sensors like in most modern hallways in our apartment buildings and offices. These features help to conserve energy and reduce the financial burdens on Municipalities. Our innovation -- Starlight, uses smart light-emitting diodes (LEDs) because they provide clear economic and environmental performance advantages over traditional high-intensity discharge (HID). Starlight's LEDs cost 79% less than traditional incandescent SLS with an aggregate lifetime of 45,000 hours (~80% greater than traditional systems) due to our motion sensing technology. This project will allow us to demonstrate the relationship between Streetlighting and Gender-Based Violence in Zambia and SSA. Our mission with Starlight is to ensure the safety of local residents, especially women. Starlight will enhance the relationship and trust between the urban poor and the local authorities in Zambia and SSA.

---

Location

The country, countries or regions that benefit from this Programme.

Zambia

Disclaimer: Country borders do not necessarily reflect the UK Government's official position.