This brief discusses how gender perspectives are being integrated in Fiji's forest policies in terms of women's representation, participation, access and decision-making in forest use and management. The brief also highlights the key challenges to and offers recommendations of further promotion of gender mainstreaming in forestry.

This poster is a summary of approaches and activities of the Grassroots Capacity Building for REDD+ in Asia project that are implemented in five countries: Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal and Viet Nam. The poster is developed to offer a snapshot on the overall strategic approaches and results used by the project to develop and strengthen the capacities of the grassroots stakeholders in raising awareness and influence attitudes change about climate changes and REDD+ on the ground.

งานศึกษาชิ้นนี้ได้วิเคราะห์บทบาทเฉพาะของหญิงและชาย ความรับผิดชอบ และสิทธิ โดยพิจารณาระดับการมีส่วนร่วมในการใช้ประโยชน์ การจัดการ และการดูแลป่าและทรัพยากรป่าไม้ในพื้นที่ป่าชุมชนบ้านทุ่งยาว จังหวัดลำพูน ทางภาคเหนือของประเทศไทย งานศึกษานี้เน้นศึกษาบทบาทที่แตกต่างระหว่างหญิงและชาย ความรับผิดชอบ ความรู้และภูมิปัญญาดังเดิม เกี่ยวกับป่าชุมชน และอิทธิพลต่อการใช้และการจัดการทรัพยากรป่าไม้ในชุมชน

The training manual on improving grassroots equity in the forests and climate change context, aims to develop the knowledge and capacity needed among grassroots facilitators to implement genuinely participatory processes for improving grassroots equity in forest-based climate change policy frameworks, mechanisms and initiatives.

A national seminar on Gender, Forestry, and REDD+ was held on 27 July, 2012 at the Himawari Hotel in Phnom Penh. The seminar was initiated by Pact and organized in collaboration with WOCAN (Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resources) and the Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC). The purpose of the seminar was to draw attention to the issues of gender in the forestry sector, with a specific focus on community forestry and REDD+.

In this context, RECOFTC and USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific have developed a framework for better understanding and assessing climate change vulnerabilities in a context of multiple competing interests in a CF landscape. The pilot site for developing this approach was a women-led Community Forestry User Group (CFUG) in the Terai of Nepal; the Bishnupur community forest. The context in Bishnupur reflects challenges associated with the ecologically fragile Chure Forest, but also one of growing opportunities for economic development due to the close proximity of the Indian border.

RECOFTC and partners recently conducted a national-level expert panel discussion in Myanmar on gender mainstreaming in national forestry and REDD+ initiatives.

The Rights-based Approach (RBA) allows local communities, or others who are marginalized, excluded or discriminated (the rights holders), to exercise their rights; and for institutions, organizations or other agencies (the duty bearers) to provide support towards equitable and inclusive development programmes that benefit them. RBA interventions can address inequities and disparities evident in these communities. In the context of the management of forested landscapes, RBA emphasizes the rights of local communities for fair benefits, access to resources, secure tenure and gender equity.

Over 200 participants including 134 international delegates from 20 countries convened on 8–9 August 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand, for two days of deliberations on the potential of community forestry to address some of the biggest challenges we face today. Be it persistent rural poverty, climate change, governance, deforestation, or rights of indigenous and local people, there were questions raised and solutions offered in several packed sessions ending in a Vision 2020 exercise and a Call for Action at the close of the Forum.

International discussions on REDD+ and climate change have explicitly addressed the needs of indigenous peoples. However, to date, efforts to link REDD+ and climate change activities to the specific protection of rights of women have been very limited. This brief explores how REDD+ planning and implementation can and should enhance the conditions of rural women in Asia and the Pacific.

Under present and foreseeable economic and social trends in the Asia-Pacific region, can we achieve sustainable forest management and better realize the potential of forests and forestry to contribute to improved human well-being? 

This brief discusses how gender perspectives are being integrated in Cambodia's forest policies, laws and regulations in terms of women's representation, participation, access and decision-making in forest use and management. The brief also highlights the key challenges that prevail and outlines recommendations to promote gender mainstreaming further in forestry.