Gender Mainstreaming in Thailand’s National

Forest Policy

By Mr.Pralong Dumrongthai

Director of Community Forest Management Bureau

Royal Forest Department

Part 1

Overview of Thailand’s Forest Policy

www.forest.go.th

Background

Area: 513,000 km2

Climate: tropical

Population: 65 million

Temp: 28 oC

Rainfall: 1,250-4,000 mm

Population density: 1,269 people/km2 in municipal areas 89.1 people/km2 in non municipal areas.

www.forest.go.th

Forest Resource situation in Thailand

In 1961, a total forest area in Thailand was approximately 53% of its total area.

Currently, existing forest area is about 34%.

National forest cover target set up in 1986 was 40%.

www.forest.go.th

Type of functional areas based on forest laws

Department of Marine Coast Resources

missions focus on mangrove and beach forests, but

any work is required to collaborate with RFD due to law constraints.

Forest is defined as that land has not been

acquired any other means in relation to land laws (All

forestlands are state property). All forestlands are overseen by Royal Forest

Department excluding protected forests declared by

Department of National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary, Plant

Conservation.

www.forest.go.th

(1) Forest Resource protection

• Royal Forest Department has established 498 field forest

protection units

• 2,563 cases of confiscation for illegal encroachment within

national reserve forests which caused 2,993 ha of forest

degradation

• RFD has established 18 regional forest fire control centers across

the country

www.forest.go.th

Activies under Royal Forest Department

www.forest.go.th

www.forest.go.th

(2) Forest Land Management (Site demarcation)

Nursery establishment

www.forest.go.th

(3) Forest Restoration and extension

Distribution of seedlings for planting within household yards by the Royal Forest Department

www.forest.go.th

Tree planting www.forest.go.th

Consultation with stakeholders www.forest.go.th

(4) Forest Extension and development

Awareness enhancement and information distribution

www.forest.go.th

Training, field study, and

Brainstorming

www.forest.go.th

www.forest.go.th

In Thailand, CSR has increasingly become to influence to Thai societies in several social perspectives. Particularly in forestry, in the past few years, some private companies have involved to sustainable forest-based communities

www.forest.go.th

(5) CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)

www.forest.go.th

Part 2

On-going initiatives on gender mainstreaming in Thailand’s

Forest policy

www.forest.go.th

Thailand population in 2013

http://www.ipsr.mahidol.ac.th/ipsr-th/population_thai.html

Gender Population (millions)

Total 64,623,000

Male 31,438,000

Female 33,185,000

64,623,000

31,438,000

33,185,000

- 20,000,000 40,000,000 60,000,000 80,000,000

Total

Female

Male

www.forest.go.th

Equality between men and women in the past (esp. forestry sector)

In the past, gender equality was not in balance. Role and responsibility are controlled by men as represented in the Thai aphorism referring to elephant (Thai symbolic animal) that men are its forefoot, while women are its hind. Due to men are commonly the family leader. Women are housewife. Therefore, men have more power.

In the past, only men could enrolled in the faculty of forestry. Women students just began to recruit in 1977 after the faculty established for 42 years

www.forest.go.th

Equality between men and women (now)

Now, women hold several roles which have been conducted by men

First lady prime minister

• Yingluk Shinnawatra

Deputy permanent secretary of ministry of natural resources and environment

• Mingkwan Wichayarangsarit

www.forest.go.th

Related policy and plan

The 1997 Constitutional law

Article 30 paragraph 2 and Article 80

Women in the Development Plan, the National Economic and Social Development

Plan No. 11 (BE 2555-2559)

Building Thai society with equality

RFD Master plan on promoting equality between women and men

Commit and support to staffs and the public to get gender equality and fairness

www.forest.go.th

The 1997 Constitutional law of kingdom of Thailand

Article 30, second paragraph states that individuals are equal. Men and women have equal rights.

Article 80 stipulates that the State shall promote the equality of women. By the Cabinet passed a resolution on July 31, 2544. All departments are mandated to promote the role of women. Chief Gender Equality officer (CGEO) and Gender Focal Point (GFP) are established and coordinating the equality between women and men.

www.forest.go.th

Women in the Development Plan, the National Economic and Social Development

Plan No. 11 (BE 2555-2559)

Commit and aim the plan for building up equal and fair society through 5 strategies Reinforce attitudes and acceptance of the equality between

women and men

Develop and increase economic and social opportunities for women

Improve quality of life and economic stability in people’s lives

Increase women opportunities in political involvement and administrative decision making at all levels

Strengthen and develop capacity building mechanisms and organization for women at all levels

www.forest.go.th

RFD Master plan on encouragement of equality between women and men

Develop a women development based on a 4 year strategic RFD plan (2012-2015) as a model to enhance gender equality in association with the current department missions

In accordance with visions which encourage staffs and public to gain gender equality and fairness with maximum satisfaction

www.forest.go.th

Activities and projects of RFD

Currently, RFD increases women and men's role in department activities, such as Forest protection

Forest land management

Forest restoration and extension

Forest extension and development

Forest administrative decision

www.forest.go.th

Forest protection

Protect and suppress forest encroachment

Building up forest networks consisting of women and men to participate in raising awareness and forest protection programs

Forest land management

Increase roles of both women and men in understanding the laws and regulations

Enhance the participation in forest land demarcation, planning and decision on forest management

www.forest.go.th

www.forest.go.th

Forest restoration and extension

Both genders are encouraged in forest restoration and extension in natural, commercial and watershed forest areas

Forest administrative decision

Both male and female officers gain cognition of state of change

Participate in forest administrative management, environment and quality of living

www.forest.go.th

www.forest.go.th

Forest extension and development

Encourage community’s roles (both genders) to strengthen community forest activities

With no gender restriction, communities are enhanced efficiently in forest management in regard to their area landscape

Both gain role and responsibility to diminish forest degradation using villager-centered method with support by officials

www.forest.go.th

Report on the promotion of gender equality

Office name: Community forest management bureau

Project/activity Gender

Male Female Total

1. Trainings on the promotion of community forest management for communities

1,648 352 2,000

2. Trainings on plant propagation technique under Sai yairak project 226 152 378

3. Under the project of Pitsanulok natural resources and environment learning center, RFD missions are promoted through the demonstration site based on the philosophy of community-based forest management, and wild edible plants are fully supported to village nearby.

150 90 240

www.forest.go.th

Part 3 : Challenges/gaps with regards to gender mainstreaming in forest policy

Amount of female officers in the forestry is minimal. Due to the production just began 35 years ago, where RFD has been established for 117 years

Female officials are not yet accepted as both executives and field team leaders, due to traditional and cultural issues. Also, there are now lots of male officers

Some government agencies, particularly in forestry, do not recruit female in ratio as many as male staffs

Safety reason for field work The ability to use the weapon to perform such weapons are

inferior to men, due to the strength and lack of ability to deal with offhand situation

www.forest.go.th

Part 4 : Recommendation and suggested ways forward

Enrolling more female officers to work for field units such as field protection unit and natural park unit

Due to mild characteristics, encouraging field female officers to have more involvement in forestry promotion would make forest activities gain more effective

Raising awareness on female acceptance for forestry operation for instance promoting them to higher positions equal to male

Increase capacity building in self protection and weapon use for women

Increase sufficient welfare for women staffs such as accommodation, vehicle, necessary devices, and weapons

www.forest.go.th