Current Activities > Result I >


Gender & Social Equity, Good Governance, Conflict sensitivity institutionalized
(Institutionalising Sustainable Natural Resources Management Systems. )

The focus of this component is to improve gender/ social equity and good governance within the community forest regime at all levels through the consolidation, integration and institutionalization of social, economic and natural resource management programs. Recognizing community forests as hotspots of present conflict and that poor governance and social inequality as exacerbating factors, this component also deals with conflict related issues. This component includes programs in good governance (GG), livelihoods improvement (LIP), gender equity, social equity (GSE) and conflict sensitivity (CS), and more importantly the integration of these programs to achieve social harmony.

Strategies adapted to integrate them are sensitization to those who have more power, wealth and resources and empowerment of those who are poor, socially disadvantaged and marginalized through equitable access and benefits, equitable governance of Community Forest Users’ groups (CFUGs), gender and equity-sensitive organizational development and programming, and gender and equity sensitive policy and strategy in favour of poor and socially excluded groups. Special programs devised to integrate them are Social Equity Awareness and Action Program (SEAAP), Community Awareness Program (CAP), and conflict sensitivity training into the LIP process, thus introducing an “awareness element” into the Operational Plan (OP) revision process.

The component emphasises on the quality gender and social participation in decision-making of community resource management through the Women Empowerment Program (WEP) and incorporating gender, social and conflict sensitive classes in various training courses including OP preparation and organizational management of CFUGs.

The Project is sensitive in its facilitation, assistance, and support approaches to the dynamics of gender and social equity in groups and communities. It assists implementing agencies and facilitators to refine and integrate CAP, SEAAP, LIP, and other community development strategies within a conflict sensitivity framework so as to enable them to respond appropriately.

The institutionalization includes support to MFSC Training Section, DFOs, DSCOs, and MFSC's Regional Training Center to develop partnerships with appropriate district and national level training institutions, NTRMCs, group federations, and other potential governmental, private and non-government providers of LIP, OP revision, and GG/GSE training services, conflict sensitivity, and related social mobilization activities.

Current Activities > Result I > Gender & Social Equity, Good Governance, Conflict sensitivity institutionalized  Gender & Social Equity and Good Governance Practice  Conflict resolution & analysis mainstreaming  WEP Strengthening an institutionalization  LIP Implrementation  LIP, business plan & OP integration  CFUG ownership of OP's  Training institutionalization  Faclilitator strengthening as a resource pool

 

Lessons Learned • Neutrality adapted by the project staff has increased image of the project and different stakeholders have accepted the project activities and working modality that helps improve equity, governance, and livelihoods benefiting especially the poorer and disadvantaged section of the communities. • The conflict sensitive approach taken by the project has ensured that the Project has not exacerbated the conflict. • Project has recognized the importance of different stakeholders in the sustainability of the project successes and thus has started building capacity of the stakeholders so as to make them capable of forging partnership to each other in order to support the continuation of the successful project outcomes.