Gender-positive Changes in Benefit-Sharing in Social Forestry Projects in Bangladesh

Transcription

1 Gender-positive Changes in Benefit-Sharing in Social Forestry Projects in Bangladesh Laskar Muqsudur Rahman, PhD Conservator of Forests Forest Department BANGLADESH Bhutan+10:Gender and Sustainable Mountain Development in a Changing World International Conference October 2012 Thimphu, Bhutan

2 Forest Types of Bangladesh Total forest 2.57 million ha (17.72%) Hill Forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Hill Forests in Chittagong, Cox s Bazar & Sylhet

3 Forest Types of Bangladesh Mangrove Forests Khulna, Satkhira & Bagerhat Coastal afforestation (Mangrove)

4 Forest Types of Bangladesh Sal Forests (Shorea robusta) Central Plain land Village Forests Scattered throughout the country

5 Forest Types of Bangladesh Rubber plantation Tea garden Bamboo groves

6 Horizontal expansion of state forest is not Forest Types of Bangladesh The forests are not evenly distributed throughout the country. State Forests supply about 12% of the national demand of forest produce. About 70% of demand is derived from village forests. The gap is met by import and other traditional sources. With the ever increasing population, demand of forest land and forest produce is increasing and supply is decreasing.

7 SOCIAL FORESTRY Since 1979 Block Plantation Agroforestry Railway Plantation Embankment Plantation Roadside Plantation

8 SOCIAL FORESTRY Up to June 2012 Woodlot 40,563 ha Agroforestry 10,498 ha Strip plantation 58,091 km Nos. of participants about 5,00,000 with nearly 20% female Nos. of Participants received benefits 1,02,800 Amounts distributed US$ 2,22,96,172 (22.29 million )

9 Studies on Gender in SF Most of the literature describe number of female participants in SF and list activities performed by female participants This presentation attempts to discuss Gender in SF Changes in legal regime to address gender in SF

10 The Interviews PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGION DISTRICT SF PARTICIPANTS NON- PARTICIPANTS FD FIELD STAFFS MALE FEMALE MALE FEMALE MALE HILL COX S BAZAR PLAIN GAZIPUR DRY LAND BOGRA DELTAIC FENI

11 The Division of Labour in SF Nursery Activities by Gender Mean % of daily labour by Gender Nursery Activities Male Female Seed collection and storage Site preparation Soil working Preparation of nursery bed Collection of top soil Soil preparation Pot filling with soil Seed sowing Fencing Weeding Fertilizing Watering Protection Pricking seedlings from bed Hardening of seedlings Average

12 The Division of Labour in SF Plantation Activities by Gender Mean % of daily labour by Gender Plantation Activities Male Female Transporting seedlings Collection of stakes Staking Digging pits Planting Cultural operations Tending operations Watching Agricultural production Average

13 The Participant s Contribution in SF Plantation Activities by Gender Average hours spent per day Plantation Activities Male Female Transporting seedlings Collection of stakes Staking Digging pits Planting Cultural operations Tending operations Watching Agricultural production Average

14 The Participant s Contribution in SF Management Activities by Gender Mean % of attendance by participants Management Activities Male Female Planning Site selection Protection Conflict resolutions Group formation Group mobilization Interdepartmental liaison Harvesting Processing Storage Marketing Average

15 Reasons for non-participation in SF programmes by female households (%) Reasons assigned Female Spouse/Guardian Shyness 43.7 Forbidden by family 52.4 Religious Unwilling to carry out field work 17.3 Afraid of legal implications in case of theft of growing resources under contract 11.9 Illiteracy Unaware of the programmes 7.8 Absence of FD female staff Lack of time Hard work Impacts of patriarchal societies Others

16 Reasons assigned by FD staffs for discouraging female participants in SF programmes Reasons assigned % Response Not instantly available 79.4 Not able to do what is readily needed 53.1 Not taking part in field operations 60.7 Unable to take part in conflict resolution 62.8 Reluctant to form group 26.3 Inability to seek interdepartmental cooperation 16.9 Afraid of embarrassment 12.3 Physical inability 59.3 Others 32.4

17 Reasons assigned by FD staffs in favour of female participants in SF programmes Reasons assigned % Response Punctual 79.2 Less gossiping 67.3 Clean work 82.7 Take care of seedlings nicely 90.4 Devoted worker 93.6 Others 23.3

18 Despite so many problems assigned both by female and FD staffs, the number of female participants is increasing over the years.

19 Women's participation in SF % of participation Bogra Feni Gazipur Cox's Bazar Bogra Feni Gazipur Cox's Bazar Bogra Feni Gazipur Cox's Bazar Male Female Linear (Male) Linear (Female) SF zone and Year

20 Gender friendly changes in - a. Constitution b. Forest Policy c. Forest Acts d. Forest Rules e. Five Year Plan

21 Constitution of Bangladesh Women shall have equal rights with men in all spheres of the State and of public life [Article 28(2)] The Fifteenth amendment in July, 2011 adds a new Article 9(3) as follows: The State shall endeavour to ensure equality of opportunity and participation of women in all spheres of national life. Article 65 Parliament is consist of 300 members + 50 women members elected by 300 MPs [As amended by the Constitution (Fifteenth Amendment) Act, 2011]

22 Changes in Forest Policy First Forest Policy in British India in 1894 Forest Policy of 1955 and 1962 (Pakistan) Although forest policy of 1962 farm forestry was recognized but not participation of women. Bangladesh adopted a new national forest policy in Recognized afforestation by mass participation. but still then role or participation of women in SF has not been recognized. National Forest Policy Women will be encouraged to participate in homestead and farm forestry, and participatory afforestation programmes.

23 Changes in Forest Act The Government Forests Act,1865 (Act VII of 1865) The Indian Forest Act 1878 (Act VII of 1878) The Forest Act, 1927 (Act XVI of 1927) The Forest Act, 1927 (Act XVI of 1927) was amended in 2000 to include SF in Bangladesh. Sub-section (2) of section 28A runs thus: A SF programme is established when the Government by one or more written agreements assigns rights to forest-produce or rights to use the land, for the purposes of social forestry, to person assisting the Government in management of the land.

24 Social Forestry Rules 2004 (Amended in 2010 & 2011) For the purpose of efficient management of SF a ninemember Social Forestry Management Committee for each locality of social forestry is constituted. The members of the committee are elected by the beneficiaries of the concerned social forestry locality with minimum one-third are elected from women [Rule 9(1) and 9(2)]. In case of social forestry activities initiated by local community, a fivemember committee is constituted with at least two women [Rule 9(1A)].

25 Social Forestry Rules 2004 (Amended in 2010 & 2011) If a beneficiary is married male, his wife shall be treated as a beneficiary and vice versa [Rule 4(4)] In the event of divorce between beneficiary, both may continue to be beneficiaries on equal shares during the continuance of the agreement [Rule 4(5)]

26 Five Year Plan In addressing gender based discrimination, the current Sixth Five Year Plan (SFYP ) will follow a two-pronged approach. Firstly, gender will be integrated into all sectoral interventions. Secondly, attention will be given to remove all policy and social biases against women with a view to ensuring gender equality as enshrined in the National Constitution. Budget provisions of recognize special programmes to ensure 50 per cent poor women's participation on priority basis in the plantation programme to create employment and augment their income, and ensuring about 50 percent of women's participation in SF activities.

27 Conclusion Conventional development practices have failed to recognise the centrality of women in sustainable resource management. Conclusion To address the need for enhanced women s participation in SF development, the Government of Bangladesh updated forest policy, legislation and programme. Now its the women and their families to remove the mental barriers and come forward to bring gender balance in SF

28 Bangladesh Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai FAO/Giulio Napolitano Khurshida Begum, a young widow from Bangladesh, has been awarded the Wangari Maathai Award 2012 for her co-management efforts and leadership in conservation of natural resources on September 27 in Rome, Italy She started her natural resource conservation activities in 2006 through forming a female Community Patrol Group (CPG) with 28 women at Kerontali, Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary.

29 Thank You