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Rujinaree Ar-lai shows her wood lamp product made from wood waste.Konwilai Wongyoth

Championing gender equality in the small-scale forest sector

On this year’s Women’s Day, the Forest Smallholders Project is highlighting the importance of gender equality in the small-scale forest sector. Gender equality is a crucial factor in creating a sustainable and equal future.

Through the Forest Smallholders Project, which is supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), we analyse the challenges faced by women and identify ways to pursue gender equality in the sector.

Rujinaree Ar-lai shows her wood lamp product made from wood waste.
Rujinaree Ar-lai shows her wood lamp product made from wood waste. Source: Konwilai Wongyoth

To support this effort, we have released three products that outline the challenges and provide recommendations:

Through the Forest Smallholders Project, we will continue to build the capacities of local stakeholders through customised coaching, training, and strengthening access to markets and networks. And we remain committed to raise awareness about gender and women’s economic empowerment among micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the forest sector.

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Promoting gender equality among micro and small enterprises in the wood-processing industry – findings and recommendations from Viet Nam

Gender analysis of two villages in Viet Nam that produce furniture and other timber products. The analysis is aimed to micro- and small-scale wood processors to identify opportunities for gender-related activities.

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Monruedee Taemduem poses next to the tree she tagged.Somporn Khongthanakrittakorn

The road to equal opportunities in Thailand’s forest sector: Women engage in tree planting and timber processing for sustainable livelihoods

A training organised by the Forest Smallholders Project of the European Forest Facility (EFI) in a small village of the Lampang Province north of Thailand has provided women with the skills they need to engage in family timber businesses and play more diverse roles, thereby contributing to more sustainable livelihoods.

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Husband and wife displaying their products at a trade fair, Lao PDR.Khamphoui Saythala

Promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in the Mekong region’s small-scale forest sector

Gender equality and women’s economic empowerment are important aspects of our work supporting wood-based micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Mekong region. Women play significant roles and contribute to the sustainable management of forests and forest-related businesses at the household and community level. However, women often do not benefit equally and their participation in decision-making processes has been restricted.

Husband and wife displaying their products at a trade fair, Lao PDR.
Husband and wife displaying their products at a trade fair, Lao PDR. Source: Khamphoui Saythala

Challenges faced by women are multi-layered. The heavy physical workload in forest plantations and timber processing, in conjunction with social gender norms, confine them to reproductive and unpaid domestic work. Enhancing women’s capacity and participation in economic activities in the forest sector can boost rural livelihoods, increase their inclusion in sustainable forest resource use, and reduce deforestation and forest degradation.

We have published a briefing to analyse the challenges women are facing and to identify how gender equality in the small-scale forest sector can be pursued.

Read the briefing:

About the Forest Smallholders Project

Since 2016, the European Forest Institute (EFI) has been supporting wood-based micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in four Mekong countries to operate legally and sustainably. Under its Forest Smallholders Project, EFI has been testing solutions to MSMEs’ key challenges in pilot projects. Lessons learnt from these pilots are documented and disseminated nationally, regionally and internationally. Through its support to MSMEs, the Project promotes gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in the forest sector.

Disclaimer

This website has been produced with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the authors and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of funding organisations.