Gender Equity: A Long Way to Go -Women Participation in Rangeland Resources Management in Northern Afghanistan Yi Shaoliang, Aga Khan Foundation (Afghanistan) 16 October 2012, Thimphu
Outline 1. Introduction 2. Rangeland Resources and Management in Afghanistan 3. Woman in rangeland resources management 4. Government and NGO efforts 5. Major problems faced by women 6. Encouraging Signs & Uncertainties
1. Afghanistan: Country snapshot -24 million(est., NRVA, 2007)) -75% rural -3.4 million (7.3. per hh) -Total fertility rate: 6.3 -Women mean age at first marriage: 17.9yr -more than half a million widows -Poverty rate: 36% (NRVA2007) Literacy: 28.1% (Total) male: 43.1% female: 12.6% (2000 est.)
1. Afghanistan: A country of extremes
1. Afghanistan: A country undergoing multiple changes Cultural Climate change socioeconomic Political -at different scale, intensity and speed; -impacting different gender in a different way; -Highly uncertain
1. Afghanistan: Frequent Drought and Impact
2. Rangelands in Afghanistan Rangelands: 45-80% used as rangelands
2. Rangelands in Afghanistan
2. Rangeland Resources in Afghanistan Sedentary system Settled transhumance systems Nomadic pastoral systems
3. Woman Participation in Rangeland Resources Management 3.1 Land Ownership 3.2 Roles of women in pastoral societies
3.1 Land Ownership Pasture/rangelands in Afghanistan are mostly used as common property resources: women together with the households having access to them A small fraction of women, mostly widows, do own lands (farming lands) on their own right
3.2 Women s role in pastoral societies Family wealth status Economic return Age Women participated in a lot of activities related to rangeland resources uses and management. However, women s role in Afghanistan is determined by many factors: Education/ capacity ethnicity What woman do/can do/will do Stigma Life cycle Household labor composition Religious sect
3.2 Women s role in agro-pastoral societies Common Rare Taking care of domestic work (cooking/children/) Weaving Milking Feeding animals Preparing diary products Gardening Herding Collecting hay Collecting medicinal products/vegetables Collecting firewood Farming in the field Doing business (shopping or trading)
4. Governmental & NGO efforts Education (schools/teacher training) Health/hygene Nutrition Employment Capacity building Saving groups Trading groups Alternative energy
5. Problems faced by women Economic Poverty Lack of control of the resources Limited Role in Decision-Making Social service/health Outmigration of Male Labors
5.1 Economic Poverty Female-headed households are among the poorest
5. 2 Lack of control of household resources Resources Access Control Women Men Women Men Cultivated land Livestock Forests Pasture Road Water sources Living house Household items Cash Health clinics schools
5.3 Limited Role in Decision-Making: at family level NRVA, 2007-2008
5.3Decision making: local governance 3. 1. How NO of often female DDA DDA female Members members attend meetings 12. Are Never women No female attending playing member an the active meetings role in DDA 14 3 1 No 19 2 Have Has attended 1-2 members less than 50% of the 8 2 meetings Yes 6 1 3 Total Attended More than 50% 3 of members the meetings 25 1 21 4 Total Attended 75% of the meetings 1 25 5 Attended all of the meetings 1 Total 25
5.3 Decision-making: NEW Rangeland resources management Institutions Province Total No. of PMCs/WUAs Total no. of PMCs/WUAs with woman members Takhar 23 2 (4 members) Bamyan 40 4 Baghlan 4 0 (out of 13-18) Badakshan 4 3 (1 out of 7)
Social mobilization without woman involvement
Hard to participate in this way
5.4 Insufficient Social Service Health/Medical care -(111 infant death/1000 live births) Education:..
5.5 Outmigration of male members Common in all the mountains/rural areas, but posing special problems for Afghanistan women Will this further marginalize women or provide a window for their empowerment?
6. Encouraging signs & uncertainties
6. Encouraging Signs and Uncertainties
Thank You