Women Advocate for Local Governance of Natural Resources
Loi Mwe National Forest, Kyaing Tung Township, Eastern Shan State, December 2019
In the area surrounding Kyaing Tung Township, women rarely have a voice in decisions regarding natural resource management. This is partly due to lack of women’s representation on village development committees (VDCs) and the low rate of participation in village affairs overall. The VDC in the Shan village mentioned in the following case study is recognized by the general administration department (GAD). There is a community forest adjacent to Loi Mwe National Forest in Kyaing Tung, and there is a community forest user group (CFUG) which operates under the Forest Department. Most government officials working in the GAD and Forest Department in Eastern Shan state are men. However, Case study 1 examines how women can play an active role in natural resource management and environmental conservation, thereby advocating for women’s rights at the individual and community level.
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