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Exploring the Impact of Social Norms and Perceptions on Women's Participation in Customary Forest and Land Governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo-Implications for REDD+

Stiem, L. and Krause, T. LU (2016) In International Forestry Review 18(1). p.110-122
Abstract

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with its extensive forest cover is the biggest target country for the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism in Africa. Despite high levels of gender inequality in rural DRC, the impacts of REDD+ interventions on gender have not been sufficiently addressed. This study examines the gender dimension at two project sites in the Equateur Province. Focus group discussions and individual interviews reveal that women spend as much time as men in the forest. Nonetheless, men's activities in the forest are often much more highly valued. This systemic devaluation of women's work, and their knowledge about the forest, legitimises men's dominance in forest governance.... (More)

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with its extensive forest cover is the biggest target country for the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism in Africa. Despite high levels of gender inequality in rural DRC, the impacts of REDD+ interventions on gender have not been sufficiently addressed. This study examines the gender dimension at two project sites in the Equateur Province. Focus group discussions and individual interviews reveal that women spend as much time as men in the forest. Nonetheless, men's activities in the forest are often much more highly valued. This systemic devaluation of women's work, and their knowledge about the forest, legitimises men's dominance in forest governance. The results of this study finds that alongside investment in women's education, which is central for women's empowerment and their participation in forest management, local opinion leaders who shape social norms and perceptions, such as church-based organisations, are indispensable partners to make REDD+ more equitable.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
climate change, Equateur Province, feminist political ecology, subsistence agriculture, sustainable forest management
in
International Forestry Review
volume
18
issue
1
pages
13 pages
publisher
BioOne
external identifiers
  • scopus:84961589830
ISSN
1465-5489
DOI
10.1505/146554816818206113
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4065e5d8-a40a-4984-8651-497e6ac4bc43
date added to LUP
2016-07-14 11:17:52
date last changed
2022-03-24 00:24:41
@article{4065e5d8-a40a-4984-8651-497e6ac4bc43,
  abstract     = {{<p>The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with its extensive forest cover is the biggest target country for the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism in Africa. Despite high levels of gender inequality in rural DRC, the impacts of REDD+ interventions on gender have not been sufficiently addressed. This study examines the gender dimension at two project sites in the Equateur Province. Focus group discussions and individual interviews reveal that women spend as much time as men in the forest. Nonetheless, men's activities in the forest are often much more highly valued. This systemic devaluation of women's work, and their knowledge about the forest, legitimises men's dominance in forest governance. The results of this study finds that alongside investment in women's education, which is central for women's empowerment and their participation in forest management, local opinion leaders who shape social norms and perceptions, such as church-based organisations, are indispensable partners to make REDD+ more equitable.</p>}},
  author       = {{Stiem, L. and Krause, T.}},
  issn         = {{1465-5489}},
  keywords     = {{climate change; Equateur Province; feminist political ecology; subsistence agriculture; sustainable forest management}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{110--122}},
  publisher    = {{BioOne}},
  series       = {{International Forestry Review}},
  title        = {{Exploring the Impact of Social Norms and Perceptions on Women's Participation in Customary Forest and Land Governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo-Implications for REDD+}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1505/146554816818206113}},
  doi          = {{10.1505/146554816818206113}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}