ICRAF Annual Science Week

Gender: from imperative to action

Nairobi, Sept 10, 2014Nairobi, Sept 10, 2014

By :By :Mrs Cécile NdjebetMrs Cécile Ndjebet

REFACOFREFACOF

CameroonCameroon

OutlineOutline

1. Background information on REFACOF

1. Why is it important to take a gender perspective and specifically involve women in climate change and natural resources management programs and policies?

2. REFACOF’s perspective on gender, climate change and natural resources management: Gender and REDD+ in Cameroon

3. Towards a more inclusive sustainable development pathway: ICRAF Theory of Change

4. Engagement at local, national and global level: Some entry points

1. Lessons learnt and challenges

2. Conclusion

1. 1. What is REFACOF?What is REFACOF?REFACOF i.e. “African women’s Network for community management of forests”

REFACOF was created in May 2009 in Yaoundé, Cameroon under the auspices of the International Conference on Tenure, organized by the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife (MINFOF), International Timber Organization (ITTO), Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) and other partners

REFACOF has elaborated its 5-year strategic plan with 4 strategic pillars: Reinforce the institutional capacity of the network Promote equitable tenure reforms Influence the agendas and initiatives of forest tenure reforms at

the national, regional and sub-regional levels Favor horizontal exchanges of experience sharing among

members

• The added value from existing women’s organization is that REFACOF is an advocacy platform focused on African women’s tenure rights in land and forest reforms

Mission: Promote women’s rights in Africa and influence policy

to achieve gender equity in land and forest tenure

To date REFACOF is composed of 16 Central and West African countries including Madagascar

Why is it important Why is it important to take a gender perspective and specifically involve women in climate change and natural resources management programs and policies?

It is widely recognized today that :Women play an important role in natural resources management in Africa; Most of the women’s lives and that of their families depend on forests and forest resources;

Also, in almost all Central and West Africa countries:Women represent at least half of the population;Women produce up to ¾ of food crops;

In almost all West and Central Africa countries, all forests and lands are owned and managed by the State:◦ 95 to 97% of the Africa forests are owned by the State◦ Only 3 to 5% are shared among private property (mainly

individuals) and communitiesAccording to FAO, only 2% of women have ownership

rights to land in the Word;

A scoping study carried out in Cameroon, RCA, Gabon and Liberia by REFACOF showed that :◦ Women’s activities in West and Central Africa can drive

deforestation and forest degradation: shifting cultivation with slash and burn systems, NTFP exploitation with sometimes non sustainable techniques;

◦ Women contribute very significantly to climate change mitigation and adaptation as well to sustainable natural resources management: agroforestry activities, tree nursery, forest regeneration, community forestry, forest rehabilitation, etc.

Women have very limited access to and almost no control over forest and land;

Women’s interests and issues are not taken into account in almost all forest and land policies, legislations and regulations; neither in climate change strategies.

In most sub-Sahara African countries under the customary systems:◦ Women do not own forests, nor lands ◦ Women do not inherit forests, nor lands◦ Women only have user rights on forests and on lands◦ Married women benefit from their husband’s lands ◦ Widows benefit from their male children’s lands◦ Unmarried women either benefit from their male children,

or can share that of their mother! Governments are giving out thousands hectares of

land and forest concessions to Agro-business, logging companies and industrial companies while communities and women are being more and more landless !

Sub-Sahara Africa is a patriarchal society : Men are Chiefs of everything! : Chief of the family; Chief of the resources, Chief of decision making, …!!

The customary systems were made and are being ruled by men!

In general,Women have no control over the forests, lands and other natural resources in general!!

Women are in most cases « strangers » in both their family and their husband’s family!

The women vulnerability and discrimination vis-à-vis forest and land tenure starts from their own native family!!

The women vulnerability is worsen by African land grabs systems!

If nothing is done,

REDD can worsen the situation of women’s land and forest tenure and hinder the entire economic development of the Continent!

REFACOF’s perspective on Gender, REFACOF’s perspective on Gender, Climate Change and Natural Climate Change and Natural resources managementresources management: Gender : Gender and REDD+ in Cameroonand REDD+ in CameroonWomen direct and qualitative participation in ongoing

reform processes in the member countries;

Advocating for women property rights to land and forests;

Valuing womenValuing women’’s contribution to Climate Change s contribution to Climate Change adaptation and mitigation;adaptation and mitigation;

Building REFACOF membersBuilding REFACOF members’’ capacities; capacities;

Building strategic alliances with some key actors like Building strategic alliances with some key actors like Men, Parliamentarians, Mayors and Traditional Chiefs;Men, Parliamentarians, Mayors and Traditional Chiefs;

NetworkingNetworking

Example: Gender and REDD+ in Example: Gender and REDD+ in Cameroon: Cameroon: women access to decision-women access to decision-making positionmaking position

Cameroon CSO Platform on REDD&CC was created in July 2011 in Yaoundé as an Advocacy platform with inclusive and consultative role

Composed of 16 national networksMission is to advocate for full and effective participation

of civil society organizations, women, indigenous people, local communities in REDD&CC processes

Structure: ◦ National Coordinators: REFACOF, RFC, MBOSCUDA◦ Regional Coordinators◦ District Coordinators◦ Village Coordinators

As Platform coordinator, REFACOF has succeeded to get women involved at all levels of the REDD+ decision-making process : 30-40% women at the decision-making position at Village, District, Regional and National levels:◦ Regional Coordinators: Women 40%; 30% IP◦ District Coordinators: Women 37%; 12% IP◦ Village Coordinators: Women 38%

Towards a more inclusive Towards a more inclusive sustainable development pathway:sustainable development pathway: ICRAF Theory of ChangeICRAF Theory of Change

CGIAR system level objectives

Competing Theories of Change

Goal 1. Raising rural income through enhanced connectivity with global and national markets, modified by integrated approach to demographic, economic, rural/urban and cultural transitions.

A. Rapid integration in global markets,

B. Optimizing local development pace and connectedness

C. Promoting gender-responsive methods and practices

3’ Intro: key gender-sensitive statistics on the issue, related SDG targets.

3’ Champion for A: the hard-core economist

3’ Champion for B: the concerned social scientist

3’ Champion for C: gender-sensitive Social scientist

CGIAR system level objectives

Competing Theories of Change

Goal 2. Closing yield and efficiency gaps in agriculture and food systems. With growing global demand for primary production for food, fibre and energy, current yield gaps (actual yields below potential) and efficiency gaps (current efficiency below potential) are a direct concern, while in the long term an increase in the potential is desirable/ necessary while simply maintaining current levels is a challenge in the face of climate change.

A. Scalable and gender-sensitive intensification focused on increased input use to reduce yield gaps,

B. Ecological intensification with attention to gender responsive efficiency gaps and modified demand patterns.

3’ Intro: key gender sensitive statistics on the issue, related SDG targets.

3’ Champion for A: the hard-core ‘yield-gap’ gender sensitive agronomist & breeder

3’ Champion for B: the concerned gender sensitive ecologist

CGIAR system level objectives

Competing Theories of Change

Goal 3. Improve nutrition security to eliminate malnutrition and enhance healthy and nutritious diets. Healthy nutrition requires more than calories provided by staple foods, especially for young children. As dietary choices change, new health issues emerge, among them, gender considerations

A. Genetically modified staple food crops with enhanced micronutrients and vitamins,

B. Enhanced diversity of food sources in an agrodiversity approach

C. Gender mainstreaming in all the value chain

3’ Intro: key gender sensitive statistics on the issue, related SDG targets.

3’ Champion for A: the hard-core GMO techno logist

3’ Champion for B: the ecological nutritionist

3’ Champion for C: gender specialist

CGIAR system level objectives

Competing Theories of Change

Goal 4. Achieve goals 1-3 without further compromising environmental quality and the multiple other functions of land, water and biodiversity for human wellbeing, while adapting to changing climates and the avoiding getting too close to the planetary boundaries

A. Land sparing by maximizing gender sensitive agricultural land pro-ductivity,

B. Land sharing by optimazing multifunctionality of land

C. Gender mainstreaming

3’ Intro: key gender sensitive statistics on the issue, related SDG targets.

3’ Champion for A: the hard-core ecologist

3’ Champion for B: the integrated gender sensitive agroforestry champion

3’ Champion for C: Gender specialist

Theory of place :Why: can we add “Gender” after “motivation”?How: can we add “Gender power relation” or “gender considerations” as the last question after “land users?”Who cares: can we add “what gender considerations?” just before “are both genders empowered?”

Engagement at local, national Engagement at local, national and global leveland global level: : some entry some entry pointspoints

Based on ICRAF goal statement: “Target countries and their civil societies and private sectors have the knowledge base and relevant experience to achieve their commitments to SDG’s with and through agrofores try”, some entry points could be:

Understanding country and regional contexts

◦ Use gender-sensitive criteria to choose a given country: gender institutional analysis;

◦ Review the existing Gender and NRM/REDD+/Climate Change, etc. country/regional documents/strategies/policies, etc.

Gender policy? Gender strategy? Gender road map? Gender-sensitive data? General knowledge in gender and related issues? Gender-based actor analysis?, Ongoing processes?, Etc.

Design, formulate and implement gender-sensitive programs and projects:◦ How can programs/projects contribute to gender mainstreaming?

what activities? budgets? human resources?

◦ Indicators? partners?

Build partnership with/Take advantage of the existing Women Networks/platforms at national/regional levels◦ SWOP gender analysis of actors?

Get a mixture of gender-sensitive and gender-blind countries:◦ Programs and projects in various countries to compare

results/outcomes

Set/Use gender indicators for monitoring and evaluation of programs/projects

Build gender capacities of the staff and of the institution◦ What is the level of Gender knowledge in the institution? Is

Gender an institutional choice? Does the institution have a gender policy/strategy/road map?

At national and local level: ◦ Get Gender sensitive people ◦ Build capacities of actors, partners, stakeholders,

women, IP’s, etc.: information, sensitization, education, communication

◦ Develop Gender sensitive criteria◦ Ensure gender monitoring and evaluation of the

activities/project/program◦ Build strong networks and strategic alliances with men,

traditional Chiefs, Parliamentarians, Mayors, …

Lessons learnt and challengesLessons learnt and challenges

It is possible to move from imperative to action with Gender mainstreaming strategies!

To achieve this, there is a need for :To achieve this, there is a need for :◦ Gender as an institutional choiceGender as an institutional choice

◦ Gender-sensitive planning, programs, projectsGender-sensitive planning, programs, projects

◦ Gender-responsive budgetsGender-responsive budgets

◦ Gender-sensitive human resources as well as gender experts, Gender-sensitive human resources as well as gender experts, etc.etc.

Some challenges have to be addressed: ◦ Political will

◦ Financial resources

◦ Personal motivation

◦ ???

ConclusionConclusionIf ICRAF theory of change is more Gender-sensitive:•ICRAF can very effectively address Gender, Natural resources management and Climate Change issues;

•ICRAF can become one of the very important institution and « effective tool » that can effectively improve Gender mainstreaming challenges and contributes very significantly to Sustainable and Equitable Development;•We need ICRAF for the World :•to acheive sustainable development!•to combat poverty! to combat Climate change!•to acheive social justice!•to overcome conflicts!

And for REDD+ to work!

Thank you very much!Thank you very much!

Contact:Cécile NdjebetREFACOFcecilendjebet28@gmail.comwww.refacof.org