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Disappearing Forests, Can’t Silence Us : A Qualitative Case Study on Deforestation and Rural Women’s Livelihoods in Mbanaayili, Ghana

Khan-Andersen, Miriam LU (2024) MIDM19 20241
Department of Human Geography
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
Deforestation has wide implications for the environment and especially for those who rely on it for survival. Rural women in many parts of the world often carry a lot of responsibility in gathering resources and maintaining the livelihoods of their families yet face disproportionate impacts due to limited control and access to these vital resources. This qualitative case study aims to give the rural women of Mbanaayili, Ghana a platform to voice their lived experiences and perspectives on deforestation and how it impacts their livelihoods. To understand the lived experiences, ten semi-structured interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted. To examine this issue a comprehensive approach was required in order to address the root... (More)
Deforestation has wide implications for the environment and especially for those who rely on it for survival. Rural women in many parts of the world often carry a lot of responsibility in gathering resources and maintaining the livelihoods of their families yet face disproportionate impacts due to limited control and access to these vital resources. This qualitative case study aims to give the rural women of Mbanaayili, Ghana a platform to voice their lived experiences and perspectives on deforestation and how it impacts their livelihoods. To understand the lived experiences, ten semi-structured interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted. To examine this issue a comprehensive approach was required in order to address the root causes of deforestation while applying a Feminist Political Ecology theory and the Capability Approach. The result of the study shows how intertwined deforestation and gender inequality become in the daily lives of women. It further highlights the discrepancies in society that allow such inequality to flourish. Lastly, the findings indicate the critical importance of women’s involvement in decision-making processes, suggesting that their inclusion could facilitate sustainable forest management practices. (Less)
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author
Khan-Andersen, Miriam LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM19 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Deforestation, Livelihoods, Women, Feminist Political Ecology, Capability Approach, Forest Management, Ghana
language
English
id
9169443
date added to LUP
2024-07-24 12:11:14
date last changed
2024-07-24 12:11:14
@misc{9169443,
  abstract     = {{Deforestation has wide implications for the environment and especially for those who rely on it for survival. Rural women in many parts of the world often carry a lot of responsibility in gathering resources and maintaining the livelihoods of their families yet face disproportionate impacts due to limited control and access to these vital resources. This qualitative case study aims to give the rural women of Mbanaayili, Ghana a platform to voice their lived experiences and perspectives on deforestation and how it impacts their livelihoods. To understand the lived experiences, ten semi-structured interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted. To examine this issue a comprehensive approach was required in order to address the root causes of deforestation while applying a Feminist Political Ecology theory and the Capability Approach. The result of the study shows how intertwined deforestation and gender inequality become in the daily lives of women. It further highlights the discrepancies in society that allow such inequality to flourish. Lastly, the findings indicate the critical importance of women’s involvement in decision-making processes, suggesting that their inclusion could facilitate sustainable forest management practices.}},
  author       = {{Khan-Andersen, Miriam}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Disappearing Forests, Can’t Silence Us : A Qualitative Case Study on Deforestation and Rural Women’s Livelihoods in Mbanaayili, Ghana}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}