Role of Women in Community Forest Management (A Case Study of Aishwarya Women Community Forestryof Latikoilee VDC, Surkhet)

Abstract

Thestudy entitled "Role of Women in Community forest management : A CaseStudy of Aishwarya Women Community forest user group in Latikoilee V.D.C. of SurkhetDistrict done in the issue of women's role in community forest management. Communityforest is the people's participatory approach in which the local users of the forest areinvolved in planning, development, protection, production and use of forest resources.The concept of CF came in to practice in Nepal in the late seventies (1978). At present,the CF programme is launched in most of the parts of Nepal. Community forestry is people oriented forest program in Nepal. The effectivenessof CF in relation to role of women is very crucial. Still, the primary forest user group(women) is not participated properly in the CFM. This study focused on the participationof women in decision making, implementation, monitoring & evaluation and benefitsharing, effecting factors relation towomen's participation in CFM. To fulfill theseobjectives, Aishwarya women community forest of Latikoilee V.D.C. of Surkhet districtwas selected as study area. AWCFUGhas 78 households out of total 40householdswereselected as sample units. To meet the objectives of the study, primary & secondary datawere collected from the field survey. These data are analyzed descriptively & analyticallywith the help of computer software programme. The study has revealed that the involvement of women in CFM is limited. Accessof ordinary women in decision making is found lower. Women's participation in FUGgeneral assemblies & regular meetings was not active & decisive. But in the case ofbenefit sharing access of both sexeswas found almost unequal. There is no gender basedforest resource distribution system. Only Executive Committee members take part inmonitoring and evaluation aspect. Women EC members were foundpassive in vitaldiscussion & in taking decision. The educational level was found influential factor inactive participation. The different CF related training, has benefited the users. Thewomen who are less participate & are less active are found less awared & lessmotivated. Lower caste users are far behind inparticipation in CFactivates. Therefore, more training should be conducted to make active to all users for higher participation. In overall, this CF was found a model forest but, some major changes should be made to improve women's participation in Community Forestrymanagement & development.