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participation in the community decision-making on NRM. Therefore, by decreasing
women’s workload, it is possible to increase their participation in the NRM.
Source: Ts. Odgerel, Study report” Gender role in micro, mezzo, macro levels” 2003.
Traditionally, women have great roles in protecting natural resources such as cleaning the
environment, giving their children knowledge and education about “Human and
Environment”, and teaching them the traditional custom of appropriate use and protection
of natural resources while men have more roles in decision making such as participating in
the community meeting and making agreements with Community leader representing their
household.
Case 1:
“ ... Mongolians have long tradition of natural conservation. Women have great
roles in keeping that tradition as they teach their children how to protect and sound
use nature. Also cleaning campsites, protecting rivers, and spas are usually done by
women. But due to busy housework hinder women to participate in the PNRM”.
(D, female, member of a community)
Changes since co-management
In the beginning period of the implementing co-management, there was no common
understanding on gender equal participation in NRM, but now this attitude has changed.
Herders and other stakeholders in co-management have started to understand the
importance of the women’s roles in the decision-making for creating sustainable system of
co-management. Also the communities’ herders’ knowledge on sound use and protection of
PNRM and skill and ability to use in real life has improved and also understanding on
gender issues has improved.
Case 2:
“... Since the co-management, now herders’ more likely to cooperate on
natural resource management. Their knowledge and motivation to protect and
restore NR have improved, especially women’s role and participation in NRM
increased in our sum’s communities. Now women and men equally participate in
the adoption of co-management agreements. Women’s participation in the decision-
making and implementation process have increased, for example women group of
Figure 2.
Men and women’s participation in protection and
restoration activities of NR (opinions of community members)
31.7
26.7
0
33.3
68.3
73.3
100
66.7
0
25
50
75
100
Cleaning
environment
Planting trees Collecting forage
plant seeds
Ecological
education of
children
women
men
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