The studies draw our attention to the richness of the biological wealth of these countries as well as to the shared and independent roles of men and women in the use of conservation of terrestrial and marine resources. The studies document gender roles in the management of the biological resources. The analysis also includes recommendations for how to promote and sustain community involvement in biological diversity management and facilitate the process of mainstreaming both gender and biodiversity in all development activities.

The case studies were discussed at a a technical consultation held from 2 to 5 November 1999 in Chennai, India. Researchers from national biodiversity research institutions in ten countries attended the event, organized by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and sponsored by FAO. The purpose of the consultation was to discuss policy-level interventions and develop a research framework to integrate gender concerns in national biodiversity management programmes.