Reflections on Gender Issues in Joint Forest Management

"The book is the culmination of in-depth studies by experts during field studies in the course of a training programme for IFS officers to resolve the gender issues in Joint Forest Management. Discrimination against women is highlighted in the first chapter. The second chapter deals with training and methodology adopted for increasing involvement of women in Joint Forest Management as they are ideally suited for forest protection work. A brief report of the inaugural session of the training programme is given in chapter three. In their comments on gender role in Joint Forest Management in chapter four, the participants urge the women to demand adequate representation in joint forest management as a team of dedicated, conscientious and capable workers. Participants relate in chapter five their experiences in the project work and the problems faced by them. Chapter six is about successful induction of women in Brindabanpur Forest Protection Committee in West Bengal, importance of non-timber forest produce as a cost-effective eco-friendly means of income, role of women in joint forest management, hardships of women in fetching fuel and water from distant places and health hazards like domestic pollution, malnutrition, unhealthy living conditions and lack of maternal health care faced by women. Chapter seven is devoted to field methodology while chapter eight contains field reports of five groups of participants. Participants relate in chapter nine the experience gained by them during field work. Chapter ten contains valedictory address of the author and comments of participants on group-wise reports submitted by them. For reader interested in more training materials relevant to the subject condensed form of some articles are appended."