Women’s Participation in Community Forest Management (A Case Study of Deurali Community Forest of Phidim VDC of Panchthar District, Nepal)

Abstract

The forest resources of Nepal which provide not only fuelwood, fodder, timber, grazing land for livestock and revenue for the country but also help to protect the natural calamities. Women are basically the collectors, manager and real users of the forest in rural community. They use forest resources for their own and society benefit. When community forestry development project initiated in 1984 in Nepal, the formation of women’s forest committee has started to involved for forest resource management plan. A micro level analysis of women’s participatory approach in development efforts must placed emphasis. By promoting self-dependence of the people and mobilizing active participation of women in managing forest resources is vital. In this situation, to examine the women’s role in community forest management and including their constraints are the major problem of the study. The main of the study to identify the extent participation in the different activities as well as socio-economic situation. To prepare this thesis primary and secondary sources were used to collect data. To make study more reliable, only one method is not enough. Description of the research area, research design, sample households survey, focus group discussion, field observation were conducted as well as data analysis and presentation. At the analysis and discussion sector many demographic and economic aspect of study area are collected and presented. This helped to find out the socio-economic status of women. Women’s knowledge and attitude on community forest, general rules for distribution of CF and different types of constraint area described. At last research study shows the summary and conclusion. The study helped to find out the situation of community forest number of household, condition of FUGC committee as well as general rules of CF. This research showed the forest management system is popular among village people, cause of women’s out door activities etc. Some recommendation has been made to policy make and INGO as long as FUGs.