On 27 Sept, WOCAN conducted the National Forest Dialogue on Exclusion/Inclusion of Women in REDD+, Forest and other Natural Resource Management Sectors in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The 35 participants (19 women, 16 men) representingNGOs and government agencies reviewed the draft report, Breaking the Barriers: Revealing Opportunities and Obstacles of Gender Integration in REDD+, Forest and Other Natural Resource Management Sectors in Cambodia and provided recommendations to be considered by policy makers at the next workshop to be held in November. The dialogue is part of the Joint Initiative established by the UN-REDD, WOCAN, and LEAF to identify practical entry points for women’s inclusion and gender perspectives in REDD+ in Asia-Pacific. The overall goal of the Initiative is to enhance the overall effectiveness of REDD+ through greater inclusion of women and gender perspectives in all relevant policies and practices. In Cambodia, a study has been conducted by WOCAN’s team to support the Initiative. It examines challenges and barriers that prevent the integration of gender perspectives in REDD+ in the country, presents relevant evidence of good practices for women’s inclusion in forest and other land use sectors, and shares knowledge for replication of successful practices. The objectives of national dialogue were 1) To engage key stakeholders in a dialogue on women’s exclusion/inclusion in REDD+ and forestry sector in Cambodia; 2) To identify strategic practical entry points and actions in Cambodia; and 3) To improve the effectiveness of REDD+ through greater inclusion of women in forest policies, programs and projects.
