Gender analysis in forestry research

Looking back and moving ahead in international research

Y.H MAI, E. MWANGI and M. WAN

The purpose is to look for:

• Factors that enhance or constrain gender-focused research

• Methodological underpinnings of such research

• Existing knowledge gaps

• Male dominance

• Misunderstanding or misuse of the term gender

• The limited awareness and skills of biophysical scientists when incorporating gender

Gender blind in forestry sector?

Male dominance

Low or no representation of women professional and managerial levels in the forestry related ministries (FAO 2006) and in leasehold forestry groups (Gurung 2002)

Assumption that men are the main natural resource users and managers and that work with them will improve the well-being of the whole society, including that of women (Watson 2005)

Misunderstanding or misuse of ‘gender’

Relate gender studies to women studies

Stopped short, only counting and including women

At CIFOR, gender concept remains in a narrow sense and is equated either with a focus on women only or with the collection of sex-disaggregated data

Perception of men and women as an homogenous group

The awareness and skills of scientists when incorporating gender

Biophysical researchers often lack the knowledge of social sciences (Fajber and Vernooy 2006)

At CIFOR, gender incorporation depends on:

Project objectives Project topics The interest of scientists

involved (mainly female) In some cases, the requirements

from donors

Why does gender matter?

Current discussions on potential impacts of global emerging issues are weak with respect to the gender dimensions => limitation to forestry institutions’ abilities to conduct research and advise on policy matters related to these global issues.

It is crucial that this gap be addressed so that policies crafted to address impacts take full account of the differentiated rights, roles and responsibilities of women and men, promote gender equality and equity in practice.

Past and current trend of gender studies

Early 1970s: More focus on women’s roles, status and their contribution to forest or forest-related sectors through recognising their knowledge and abilities.

From the late 1990s, focus is more on

gender compositions in forest user groups and gender impact on forestry.

Past and current trend of gender studies (cont.)

70’s 90’s 2010

Women’s knowledge

NTFPs

Conservation

Biofuels

Women’s bargaining

power

Collective action

Land tenure

Plants, wildlife

80’s

Wom

en’s

cont

ributi

on in

econ

omy

Wom

en’s

cont

ributi

on in

NRM

Gende

r com

positi

on in

fore

st us

ers g

roup

and

gend

er im

pact

on

fore

stry

Exclu

sion a

nd

mar

ginali

zation

for

better

enga

gem

ent

Community forestry

Forest certification

Past and current trend of gender studies (cont)

In sum…Gender has been incorporated in forestry research for efficiency and equity.

Integrating gender into forestry research is constrained by:• perception that forestry is a male-dominated profession and occupation• lack of clarity among researchers of the concept of gender• lack of technical skills to work on a socially complex term like gender.

Research evolves from assessing and identifying women’s roles and contributions to a greater elaboration of women’s bargaining power and a conscious effort at engaging their marginalisation and exclusion.

Community forestry and related processes of decentralisation have taken precedent.

An overwhelming majority of the research has been conducted in Asia, but much less in Latin America.

Methodologically, we find a dominance of participatory techniques.

THINKING beyond the canopy

Recommendations• ‘Participatory approach’ and ‘data collection with heads of

households’?

• The need for the elaboration of gender relations

• Move further to disaggregate groups of men and women and not treat them as an homogeneous group

• Equip scientists with knowledge on gender inclusion to fill the gap of knowledge and assist scientists with tools and methods to integrate gender

THINKING beyond the canopy

Further researchNature and quality of governance arrangements under increasing

participation of women in forestry decision-making forums

Dynamics and division of labour between men and women in mixed male/female forest user groups

Transforming incentives and attitudes of forestry personnel

Replication of ‘critical mass’ studies in other settings besides India and Nepal

Implications of global processes, interventions and trends on women’s relative participation in decision making and benefits capture such as forest tenure reforms, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and large scale forest land acquisition for biofuels and food security.

Thank you