Taking a gender perspective in forestry has nothing to do with political correctness and everything to do with development and conservation effectiveness: an awareness of the power relations between men and women vis-à-vis forest resources can only help ensure that these resources are used sustainably and equitably. If we ignore gender, there is no doubt that we will fail in our efforts to strengthen forests’ contribution to poverty reduction, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Women across the developing world are primary users of forest resources and their sale of non-timber forest products is vital to help cover household expenses and tide them through the leaner times of the year. Their heavier dependence on forests also means that women have more at stake than men when forests are degraded or forest access denied. Yet the needs and concerns of women are often neglected and the ownership of forests and the sale of valuable forest products are largely under the control of men. This book was born out of a recent edition of IUCN’s forest magazine, arborvitae, which also featured a few of the chapters found here. This publication, edited by IUCN and WEDO, takes a fresh look at some of the aforementioned issues facing gender and forests, and consider how gender is being addressed both on the ground and in policy discussions on climate change and REDD+.

Type of Case
Printed publication (book, sourcebook, journal article…)

Publisher
IUCN

Region
Global

Biome
All

Forest Type
All forest types (natural and planted)

Primary Designated Function
All