More than 50 stakeholders participated in an online meeting focused on Gender and Forestry organized by FAO with the support of ECOWAS and Sida in the framework of the project “Global transformation of forests for people and climate, a focus on West Africa” funded by Sida. This meeting, held on 30 May 2022, increased awareness of gender and forestry issues in the West Africa region and promoted dialogue on strategies, actions and priority needs to address these issues.

Gender is a central and cross-cutting theme for this regional project and is mainstreamed throughout its components, including improving knowledge of forest ecosystems and their dynamics; analyses of national forest legislation; and promotion of sustainable community forestry and land management practices, including the promotion of non-timber forest products, of which women are primary users.

Since the launch of the project, several activities have been implemented to mainstream gender in the forestry sector. Amanda Bradley, Specialist on Forest tenure and Gender presented the findings from a joint publication by FAO, ECOWAS Gender Development Centre and Sida, entitled:  ¨Gender Equality and Forestry in West Africa: Preliminary Findings and Recommendations for West African Countries¨.  For example, she noted issues related to women’s access to land and forest resources, the problem of gender-based violence in forest areas, and the lack of women professionals in the forestry sector.  She also shared some recommendations which were reflected on during the meeting by expert commentators.

For the opening of this online meeting, speakers from Sida, EGDC and FAO delivered keynote remarks, noting the importance of gender for their institutions’ respective agendas.

Ms. Sara Solomon, Programme Manager on Gender Equality, Regional Section, from Sida commended FAO and ECOWAS for the achievements of the project: “As the financial partner of the project, we encourage FAO to share the results with decision-makers to facilitate the operationalization of the recommendations made in the gender brief.”

Mr. Ahmed A. Gumah, Interim Director, ECOWAS Gender Development Centre underlined the key challenges the forestry sector faces in West Africa and highlighted the main threats to gender empowerment in this sector. According to Mr. Gumah, “We must continue awareness activities in West Africa at all levels to really mainstream gender in all sectors mainly the forestry one. The current project is an opportunity for that.”

Dr. Gouantoueu Robert Guei, the FAO sub-regional Coordinator for West Africa underlined all the contributions brought by the different partners at national and regional levels within the implementation of this project.  “I would like to renew our full availability and commitment to work with all our partners for sustainable and inclusive management of our ecosystems within the framework of this project and beyond to give gender its rightful place” said Dr. Guei.

During the latter half of the meeting, the participants were divided into break-out rooms and discussed appropriate strategies to address gender-related challenges in the forestry sector, the mechanisms to work together, benefits from collaboration on these challenges and priority actions and support needed.

A Whatsapp discussion group has been created to continue the exchange on this important subject to find lasting and sustainable solutions to gender integration in the forestry sector.   

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