Despite the increasing recognition of the role that women play, gender biases still marginalise women and their participation in the forestry sector. This marginalisation of women in forestry oftentimes leads to their under-representation in forestry research as well. In this presentation, ‘Gender analysis in forestry research: looking back and moving ahead in international research’, CIFOR scientists Yen Mai, Esther Mwangi and Meilinda Wan examine gender-focused forestry research, recommend ways to improve gender inclusion in research, and suggest areas for further research.

1. Gender analysis in forestry research Looking back and moving ahead in international research Y.H MAI, E. MWANGI and M. WAN

3. Methodological underpinnings of such research

5. Misunderstanding or misuse of the term gender

9. Project topics

10. The interest of scientists involved (mainly female)

14. Past and current trend of gender studies (cont)

16. lack of clarity among researchers of the concept of gender

17. lack of technical skills to work on a socially complex term like gender.Research evolves from assessing and identifying women’s roles and contributions to a greater elaboration of women’s bargaining power and a conscious effort at engaging their marginalisation and exclusion. Community forestry and related processes of decentralisation have taken precedent. An overwhelming majority of the research has been conducted in Asia, but much less in Latin America. Methodologically, we find a dominance of participatory techniques.

18. Recommendations ‘Participatory approach’ and ‘data collection with heads of households’? The need for the elaboration of gender relations Move further to disaggregate groups of men and women and not treat them as an homogeneous group Equip scientists with knowledge on gender inclusion to fill the gap of knowledge and assist scientists with tools and methods to integrate gender

19. Further research Nature and quality of governance arrangements under increasing participation of women in forestry decision-making forums Dynamics and division of labour between men and women in mixed male/female forest user groups Transforming incentives and attitudes of forestry personnel Replication of ‘critical mass’ studies in other settings besides India and Nepal Implications of global processes, interventions and trends on women’s relative participation in decision making and benefits capture such as forest tenure reforms, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and large scale forest land acquisition for biofuels and food security.

20. Thank you