Gender integration within the Mt. Mantalingahan protected landscape

Full Solution

by Kame Westerman, Conservation International

Indigenous Peoples in the Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape, Panalingaan, Palawan

While the Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape was designed with input and consent from the indigenous communities living within and adjacent to the area, primarily indigenous leaders (all male) were consulted. We conducted an analysis through documents, interviews and surveys to identify how, and to what extent, both men and women were (and are) involved in management. We used these results to inform development of the new management plan, which is now more gender-informed.

Last update: 02 Oct 2020

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Context

Challenges addressed

Changes in socio-cultural context

Lack of public and decision maker’s awareness

Poor monitoring and enforcement

Poor governance and participation

This case study highlights many of the same challenges often seen in conservation: an assumption that leaders can necessarily speak for diverse interests and needs, patriarchal cultures where women are not allowed in the decision-making and consultation arenas, and a lack of time/understanding on the part of conservationists to take the extra steps and ensure the voices of less visible constituents are incorporated.

Scale of implementation

Local

Ecosystems

Tropical evergreen forest

Theme

Ecosystem services

Gender mainstreaming

Protected and conserved areas governance

Sustainable livelihoods

Indigenous people

Local actors

Protected and conserved areas management planning

Culture

Forest Management

Location

Mount Mantalingajan, Rizal, Palawan, MIMAROPA, Philippines

Southeast Asia

Process

Summary of the process

The gender analysis, using BB1 (gender guidelines), allowed for gathering of specific feedback and recommendations. These recommendations were then used to inform BB2 (integration into the management plan). It was only because of the first BB that the second could occur, and without the ability to integrate recommendations into the management plan, gathering the data would have been insufficient to make any real change.

Building Blocks

Gender integration guidelines/toolkit

CI has developed general guidelines to help conservation practitioners ask questions about gender within conservation initiatives, and develop practical and socially-appropriate responses to gender gaps/inequalities.

Enabling factors

The lead author has worked with the management board of the Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape since inception and therefore has good knowledge of the actors and local context. She also serves as a gender focal point within the organization so has some expertise in the gender-conservation field. Another enabling condition is the general openness to gender equality principles within the Philippines.

Lesson learned

The guidelines are very general, and it is important for the local user to identify the best/most relevant areas in which to gather information. It is imperative that the user is familiar with the local culture and context.

Resources

gender_integration_checklist.pdf

Integration of gender recommendations into management plan

This analysis and recommendations took place as a new management plan was being developed, so the recommendations had the ability to be directly inserted into the new plan.

Enabling factors

The new 5-year management plan was being developed by the management board, and the CI staff who conducted the analysis has been an integral part of the MMPL management board since inception. This allowed her to directly present her recommendations to the rest of the board for consideration.

Lesson learned

To be most impactful, it is important to have an opening/opportunity to directly integrate recommendations, and good connections with those making decisions.

Impacts

Together with the survey and interview participants, we developed recommendations for making the new management plan more responsive to the needs, interests and priorities of both men and women. These recommendations were accepted by the management board and have been adopted into the new 5-year management plan for the Landscape (which was being drafted). It remains to be seen what the actual impacts of these changes are towards the end of the 5 years; we plan to conduct another assessment at that time. This case study provides a good example of how powerful it can be to provide recommendations at an opportune time (e.g. when a management plan is being updated).

Beneficiaries

All men and women who live in, or use resources from, the Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Area.

Story

Blog about a female ranger in the area: http://blog.conservation.org/2016/03/on-remote-philippine-island-female-forest-rangers-are-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with/