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Check-list: Gender in national forest programmes

The following list can be used to:

1. identify key questions which need to be answered while carrying out each phase in the process of a national forest programme;

2. ensure gender considerations are incorporated into national forest programmes.

This check-list, and the answers given for each phase, is intended as an integral component of the documents prepared for national forest programmes. It can be used by planners to prompt them to utilise gender-incorporating tools in their work and to facilitate a participatory planning process. The list will also be useful for internal and external monitoring agencies to evaluate the extent to which gender issues have been incorporated into the planning and implementation process of forest programmes, and to make recommendations on where more focus is needed.

Problems raised in answering the check-list should be dealt with explicitly throughout the entire implementation of the process.

Support from existing networks

National, regional and international networks can be consulted for more information on gender issues, on training modules, on experts in gender and development, etc.

Check-List: Gender Considerations In National Forest Programmes¹³

¹³ Adapted from CIDA, 1991. Annex to PAM - women in Development (WID). CIDA Form no. 966 (01-91). Hull, Quebec. Canada.

Answer the following questions for each action in each phase of the national forest programme process.

A. Partners involved in the Process

All social groups (village groups, women's groups, cooperatives, local associations, etc.) and local partners (women, men, extension officers, government agencies, private sector, etc.) directly involved in the process.

B. Involvement

Were social groups and local partners involved during this phase of the process? (attach a detailed list of partners involved)

C. Specify the ways in which social groups and local partners were involved.

D. The role of women and men

Specify the levels at which women and men have participated, or will participate, in the planning, implementation and monitoring of the national forest programme. Indicate the number of persons involved for each sex.

E. Key Gender Issues

Review all points and indicate the way they will be dealt with in order to ensure the equal participation of women and men in the programme.

• Were women identified as an explicit target group for the forest programme?

• Does the forest programme affect women's access to and control over land resources? Does it affect men's access?

• Does the programme affect the workload of women, of men?

• Does the programme affect women's possibilities to generate income, or those of men?

• Are there mechanisms to ensure that the programme's resources and benefits are fairly distributed?

• Will the roles/responsibilities of women change as a result of the programme? Those of men?

• Does the programme modify the functions women actually perform? Those of men?

• Who possesses the resources necessary for participation (such as land, capital and time)?

• Is participation of women limited due to lack of access to these resources? Of men?

• Does the programme take into account both the reproductive and productive roles of women?

• Does the forest programme have a potential/real impact that differs between women and men?

• Were negative impacts of the programme identified?

• Were women directly involved in identifying needs and opportunities? Men?

• Did women participate in setting objectives? Men?

• Are the programme objectives explicitly related to women's productive roles and capacities? Men?

• Were there any missed opportunities for enhancing the role of women in the development process?

• Does the forest programme meet the country's priorities related to women in development?

• Is adequate training available for women to ensure absorption of new technologies/ideas? For men?

(Give detailed answers to each question).

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