Regional Inception Workshop – Dryland Systems (WANA) 2 – 4 July 2012

ENGENDERING DRYLAND SYSTEMS

RESEARCH

Malika Abdelali-Martini (ICARDA)

M.Martini@cgiar.org

Inception Research Workshop on the Dryland Systems

Rabat, MoroccoJuly 2nd – 4th, 2012

PRESENTATION OUTLINEI. WHY gender in dryland systems deserves attention?

a. Concepts

b. Why gender research

c. Challenges of drylands are gendered

d. Gender roles in drylands

II. Examples of gender research

a. Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan & Algeria

III.Basic gender-sensitive questions

IV.What needs to be done

V. Gender-related barriers

VI.Losses by not addressing gender

VII.WHAT might a gender-equitable dryland R&D system look like?

VIII.Conclusions and Recommendations

A. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

GENDER AND WOMEN/MEN?

Exam ple:1. O nly w om en can give birth2. O nly m en can im pregnate

Cannot be changed

Biological born with

M ale/Fem ale

1. W om en and m en can w ork as teachers, engineers, laborers2. W om en and m en can take care o f children and elderly

Changeable

Socially constructed

G ender

G ender and W om en/M en

A. HOW DID THE GENDER CONCEPT EMERGE IN

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS?

W ID G ADGender relationshipsGender versus women

Different social groupsDifferent ages

GID

B. WHY GENDERED RESEARCH?

Despite the introduction of technologies in many life aspects, and mechanization, women and men remain important actors in many aspects of production and development aspects in drylands In North Africa

In West Asia

BUT the scientific knowledge still suffers from the valuable knowledge that women can bring in technology development and livelihoods. Women are not systematically involved in research and development initiatives , that are potential for poverty reduction in different societies

The household - Structured entity ≠ roles, activities and responsibilities for ♀ and ♂ along the production systems

Result: knowledge, skills and perceptions of HH members gendered / impact of innovations, and development are gendered

Different impacts

II. WHY GENDER IN DRYLAND SYSTEMS RESEARCH?

Gender disaggregated knowledge & experiences yield different contributionsIncreased male migration leads to changes in rolesWomen and men work in different capacities in the different regions / different versus same activitiesExperience markedly different constraintsBoth can facilitate insights on a wider context and in collaborative processes Can take the lead in technical skills

C. CHALLENGES IN DRYLANDS / GENDERED/ BLIDNESS

Social and Cultural ChallengesPovertyMalnutritionRapid population growth and declining land holdings/ fragmentationMale migration resulting in women’s workload/ family disruptionIncrease of women headed householdsLand tenure Division of laborFeminization of agricultural labor/ activities /roles’ changesYouth perceptions and behavioral changes

Economic ChallengesLack of competitive and accessible rural marketsLow level investment in productive NR assets of the poorAccess by rural poor to basic subsistence resourcesAgricultural technologies and resource management systemsCompensating the poor for conserving or managing resources of value to others

Subsistence versus market oriented production/ processing

IV. GENDER ROLES IN DRYLANDS

Lack of reliable sex- and age-disaggregated statistics on roles in dryland management activities

Men and Women’s access to and control over natural resources are often restricted

Insecure land tenure reduces women’s and men’s incentives to maintain soil quality because they have no permanent rights to the land

Drylands degradation can lead to changes in gender roles (migration, population, market access etc…)

Given that ♀♂ have different roles in dryland management, the impact of desertification affects them in different ways - environmental change has a far greater impact on women

Social and ec. transition under way – women’s group support – income generation

D. MAURITANIA – SAND DUNES

Problem: Two severe and prolonged droughts in 20 years. Nomads forced to

migrate Pressure on NR (e.g. 10 times as much wood is cut for fuel than is

replanted) new CHALLENGES, but also new HOPES for ♀ & ♂ UNDP: ♀ have taken the lead in stabilization of sand dunes

(Committees -btw village and authorities) In 3 years, ♀ covered 80 ha of dune, enclosing it with brushwood

fencing that they made themselves. Within the protected enclosures, the women have planted trees which stabilize the sand dunes. Women also produce vegetables to ensure proper nutrition for their families

Empowerment CHANGE IN WOMEN STATUS IN A TRADITONAL CULTURE + CHANGE IN

GENDER RELATIONSHIPS BETTER LIFE, INCOME GENERATION AND PROTECTION OF THE

ENVIRONMENT, AND HOPES FOR RESETTLEMENT

Source: UNSO. 2001a. Women and desertification in Mauritania.

MOROCCO – ARGAN TREE Argan tree

Resistant to drought and heat, / maintains ecological balance and biodiversity

Helps retain soil and assists in combating water and wind erosion

Wood is used for fuel, leaves and fruits provide forage for goats, and oil extract is used in cooking, traditional medicine and cosmetics. The tree supports some 3 million people. Women working heavily o the crop

Problem

In < than 10 years, > than 1/3 of the argan disappeared, & density declined from 100 to 30 trees / ha

Intervention - Project IDRC / Moroccan institutions Established and supported local ♀’s cooperatives to increase oil prod. and marketing Women trained in techniques for processing Argan products, mgt. and accounting

Result Improved Moroccan ♀’s socio-ec. situation /HH situation - job creation and income-

generation; Raising women and men’s awareness; Reforesting argan forests, with the support of women’s cooperatives; Promoting regional tourism that benefits whole households and recognition by men.

Source: CGIAR. 2000. Helping Moroccan Women Preserve the Argan Tree at the Gateway of the Sahara. IDRC Project Number 978602.

D. MOROCCO – HMAPS COOPERATIVESLEAVING WOMEN OUT OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECT – IDRC SAGA/ ICARDA

Huge investment project on extraction of oil from HMAPs

Only men cooperatives were organized which led the management of the processing facility. Work performed by women

Problem Women were completely left out of the process

Result Later men realized that women are the custodians of

HMAPS, collectors, and holding the precious indigenous knowledge about the plants

The project has failed and the expensive equipment is lying there either

IDRC SAGA – ICARDA project is researching on this

SUDAN - NRM Land in the El Odaya area is used for crop prod. and livestock raising.

Overgrazing / agr. expansion, Decline in soil fertility Pop. growth, livestock raising, likely to intensify land degradation.

UNDP/UNSO project: to establish an institutional structure to promote individual and community involvement in the regeneration, conservation and proper management of natural resources through the establishment of Village Council Development Committees (VCDCs)

“bottom-up”, participatory approach incorporating the following activities: Establishment of women’s sub-committees within each VCDC; Involving VCDCs in strategic RM planning Training communities in env. mgt. methods, income-generating act.s and

VCDC org.; Revolving fund to support income-generating activities (at least 25 %

devoted to activities undertaken by women).

Through the women’s subcommittees, Power, access to and control over community resources. Training and access to revolving funds led to income-generation, and Participated in health activities, improved stove fabrication, soap making,

tailoring and leather craft training. Access to credit represented another key method of strengthening the

role of women and benefiting HHs.

Source: UNSO. 1990. Integrated resource management for desertification control.

D. QASHABIYA PRODUCTION - ALGERIA Wool/ Camel hair - traditional garment Important in the national economy /prestigious as a

gift Market / income generation for poor in drylands Normal focus: indigenous knowledge, market access,

land degradation, camel mgt. etc. Consider gender issues: income distribution, skills,

new technologies, processing, new tools, etc… Market only / income / etc.. Not enough Qashabiya cloth is entirely made by women at home What is missing here? Unexpected surprise: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH ISSUES

HEALTH AND SAFETY EFFECTS OF QASHABIYA WEAVING ACT.

1. Joint diseases/ arthritis: problems due to odd squatting position and continuous attention required during work

1. Carpal tunnel syndrome (affects the hand and wrist): (pain in hands, arms and shoulders – feeling of tingling (picotements) during night)

2. Low back pain

2. Allergies: Skin and respiratory allergies

3. Skin diseases: Hand and finger problems due to constant tying of small knots (eczema, cysts abscesses, whitlow)

4. Respiratory diseases: Chemical hazards due to inhalation of dusty wool, or which contains dyes and hazardous substances (bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, respiratory failure “insuffisance respiratoire”)

5. Eye diseases: Vision disorders due to dust, inadequate work conditions and lighting and close attention required for work, and conjunctivitis as allergy, eyesight

6. Stress due to the high attention required to do the work and to some deadlines

Allergies on Children

III. BASIC GENDER-SENSITIVE QUESTIONS

Who is doing which tasks?

Who has access to, and who has control of, resources?

Who has access to, and who has control of, income and benefits?

Who decides what?

What are the expectations and needs of each member of the household?

IV. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE Involve local women and men. Understanding and appreciation

of complex social and cultural factors Raise awareness and provide education. Cultural values,

social practices, indigenous knowledge and a clear understanding of the environmental issues and economic status of the communities determine the acceptance rate of research and development initiatives

Encourage conservation through income generation to all members of HHs. Associating credit facilities with natural resource management efforts is one of the best ways of encouraging rural women and men to take an interest in environmentally sound activities

Strengthen local institutions. Credit facilities through traditional men and women’s mutual assistance groups were successful in increasing household food security. These need to be supported by gov. programmes.

Promote sustainability. Promote empowerment and respect of cultural values that help achieve sustainability.

Integrate and coordinate projects. Agricultural production, poverty alleviation, land conservation and gender mainstreaming need to be further integrated

V. GENDER-RELATED BARRIERS FOR GREATER ACCESS TO RESOURCES –

PROMOTING ACCESS

VI. HERE IS WHAT WE LOOSE BY NOT ADDRESSING GENDER

Lack of addressing the different perspectives and constraints of all members of HHs and communities

Lack of knowledge about the different challenges facing women and men in drylands

Development initiatives that do not address the pressing needs of all households’ members usually fail

VII. HOW DO WE SEE THE FUTURE OF DRYLANDS ENGENDERED RESEARCH? WHAT CAN SCIENTISTS DO?

A gender dimension should be high on every scientist’s research agenda;

It is not only essential for women; it will bring major national gains in reduction of poverty and hunger;

A package of measures is needed, as there are no silver bullets and no single-sector measure can be fully effective;

WHEN should we address gender in dryland systems a. Throughout the overall Research and

Development cycle

VII. HOW DO WE SEE THE FUTURE OF DRYLANDS ENGENDERED RESEARCH? WHAT CAN SCIENTISTS DO? CON’T

Not enough to collect sex-disaggregated data

We need to: Collect information on gender dynamics and

relationships;

Avoid the simple descriptive information, and replace with a broad range of tools that capture the social dimensions of gender relationships and related behavior and differential effects on women and men;

Gender specialists/ qualitative analysis/ multi-disciplinarity/ teamwork

CLOSED (UNITARY) HOUSEHOLD MODEL

?

OPEN (COLLECTIVE) HOUSEHOLD MODEL

Tangible assets• Land• Natural resources• Materials• Cash

Intangible assets

• Education• Social networks• Credit•Decision-making power

Social Norms

Market Conditions

Legal & Regulatory Conditions

Environmental Conditions

Policy & Institutional Constraints

GENDER ASSET GAP

Gender disaggregate

d data

EMPOWERMENT INDEX (USAID)

Domain IndicatorProduction Input in productive decisions

Autonomy in production

Resources Ownership of assetsPurchase, sale, or transfer of assetsAccess to and decision on credit

Income Control over use of income

Leadership Group memberSpeaking in public

Time WorkloadLeisure

VII. ACHIEVING A GENDER-RESPONSIVE AR4D SYSTEM

Women have different needs, demands, preferences & priorities than men

• Priority-setting for agricultural research must be:o Less gender-blindo Based on accurate knowledge about individual participants in broader agricultural system

• RATIONALE FOR GENDER ANALYSIS

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Not enough to conduct a situation analysis at the project’s start, real issues and priorities emerge during intervention;

Gender issues will be revealed during problem analysis;

Being sufficiently flexible to take up such results and adapt the project concept and planning in a cyclical way is likewise crucial.

Logframes can be counterproductive to such a process if followed rigidly for project implementation;

A strong component of process monitoring and documentation needs to be built in as a benchmark for changing activities according to new insights;

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The CGIAR is now on its way for the development of gender strategies for all CRPs including this one;

Having a Gender Strategy means having work that was lacking in the past: Therefore, this involves budgetary allocation;

This has a cost and resources are to be allocated and used effectively;

Training related staff to mainstream gender into their respective activities

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

How do you put a gender lens and identify what the issues are?

CGIAR gender strategy is going to have a lot on training (scientists and assistants)

Needs’ assessment: Scientists need to express their needs

Gender specialists respond to needs in the different centers

Workplan & approaches: Once the needs are clarified, we need to identify what do we need to achieve that will make a difference

Regional Inception Workshop – Dryland Systems (WANA) 2 – 4 July 2012

THANK YOU

www.amonet.orghttp

WHY DOES GENDER MATTER?

“ Where women are educated and empowered, economies are more productive and strong. Where women are fully represented, societies are more peaceful and stable.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon

“Countries with greater gender equality have economies that are more competitive and grow faster, as shown through a comparative analysis of 134 Countries”

UN Women 2011

“ Women’s strength, women’s industry, women’s wisdom are humankind’s greatest untapped resource.

The challenge is to show how this resource can be effectively tapped in ways that benefit us all.”

Michelle Bachelet

Gender-based inequalities constrain the efficacy of efforts to enhance agricultural production and food

security

(World Bank, FAO, IFAD 2009)