Gender in integrated systems research by Cynthia McDougall, Senior Scientist, Gender & Equity...

Gender and Systems Research:

Gender and Systems Research:

Leveraging Change

Significance?

Significance?

Valued-added of systems

research?

Significance?

Significance…

gender

gender

&

social equity

gender &

social equity

systems research

Cynefin Framework: David Snowden

Cynefin Framework: David Snowden

Cynefin Framework: David Snowden

gender

&

social equity ?

knowledge base

accuracy

transformation

focus

Accuracy, relevance

Accuracy, relevance

Knowledge base

Accuracy, relevance

Knowledge base

Targeting

Accuracy, relevance

Knowledge base

Targeting

Research Quality &

Utility

Full potential?

Accuracy, relevance

Knowledge base

Targeting

Research Quality &

Utility

“Single loop” influence…

Accuracy, relevance

Knowledge base

Targeting

Doing better within the system

Single loop: Doing better

within the system

Double loop: Improving the

system

Double loop engagement…

Gender and social equity...

Pivotal role of Gender and social equity…

…a

leverage point to shift the system?

Gender & global food security

Gender & global food security

Leverage point?

“…places within a complex system

(a corporation, an economy, a living body, a city, an ecosystem) where a small shift in one thing can

produce big changes in everything…”.

D.Meadows

X Changes in stocks and flows (resources)

Transforming the ‘Rules of the game…’

In systems research this means engaging with....

What’s the connection?

Farmer innovation...

…on-farm agricultural research

Community forestry research…

Pre-Adaptive collaborative

governance Low benefits

Intra-group

conflict

Inequitable distribution

Low

involvement

of women &

poor

Community

forest

governance

Traditional

socio-cultural

hierarchies

Norms, attitudes, practices: Pre-Adaptive collaborative governance

“We were also enthusiastic to participate in the

general assembly of the CFUG in the past, but

when we participated we were blamed repeatedly

as forest destroyers, and this made us feel

ashamed. It forced us to leave the venue before

reaching any decision. Such assemblies were

nothing but the venue to get scolded.”

(Daure woman, Handikharka CFUG)

Community

forest

governance

Community groups

shaping their own

norms, attitudes,

practices

Norms, attitudes, practices: With adaptive collaborative governance

“In the past our voice was not considered ,

but nowadays our sayings also are counted

and we are asked as well”

(Female member of Patle CFUG )

"We never realized the say of women and poor in past,

but adaptive collaborative management opened my eyes that every user knows

something …” (Male committee member, Patle CFUG)

Increased benefits

Reduced conflict

More equitable

benefit sharing

Women & poor

members more actively

engaged

Findings: With adaptive collaborative governance

Findings: With ACG

Increased

distributional

equity

Source: McDougall et al., 2013b

Findings: With ACG

Increases in

livelihood

benefits

overall

Source: McDougall et al., 2013b

Big ideas...

Resilience

Big ideas...

Transformation gender & social equity norms, behaviours, practices

Big ideas

Value added of systems research?

Space & opportunity to identify leverage points

Big ideas...

Value added of systems research?

Shared opportunity

to engage with these

Shared opportunity

Gender & social equity

Thank you