Abidah Setyowati of WOCAN presented a paper during International Workshop in Gender and Forest Tenure in Asia and Collective Forest Tenure Reform held in Beijing, China on July 21, 2012. The event was a part of Right and Resources Institute’s research report launching entitled ‘The Challenges of Securing Women’s Secure Tenure and Leadership for Forest Management: the Asian Experience’. The event was co-organized by Right and Resources Institute (RRI), Chinese Academy of Forestry and Landesa – Rural Development Initiative.
The first session of the workshop was aimed at launching RRI research report ‘The Challenges of Securing Women’s Secure Tenure and Leadership for Forest Management: the Asian Experience’. The report consists of several case studies on gender and forest tenure in Asia. Abidah Setyowati discussed the findings of a recent multi countries study on gender and REDD+ study in Asia conducted by WOCAN. Avi Mahaningtyas of Partnership Governance Reform Indonesia spoke about gender justice and forest tenure reform in Indonesia. Arvind Khare of RRI concluded the session by highlighting that the case studies in the report showed continued discrimination against women despite the positive ecological, economic and social benefits that can be garnered by engaging women in the forest governance decision making processes.
WOCAN members contribute some chapters in the report (link to download the report as follows):
- Jeannette Gurung and Abidah Billah Setyowati write ‘Re-envisioning REDD+: Gender, Forest Governance and REDD+ in Asia’.http://www.rightsandresources.org/publication_details.php?publicationID=5225
- Kalpana Giri writes a case study in Nepal ‘Gender in Forest Tenure: Pre-requisite for Sustainable forest Management in Nepal’http://www.rightsandresources.org/publication_details.php?publicationID=5220
- Cecile Njebet was interviewed by RRI ‘Interview with Cecile Ndjebet – President, REFACOF’http://www.rightsandresources.org/publication_details.php?publicationID=5232
The second session of the workshop was aimed at discussing gender and forest tenure reform in China in which several panelists share their research findings on gendered implications of the reform. While the reforms seemed to contribute to reduce poverty, improve livelihoods and protect farmers’ land rights, most of the panelists agreed that women’s forestland rights were still in a vulnerable position.