The role of rural women in management, conservation and utilization of natural resources (Case study: Chahar-Zebar region, Kermanshah)

Background and Objectives: In recent years, following the failure of government management policies in Zagros forests, the country's natural resources organization (NRO) has emphasized the participatory management approach. Although the implementation mechanism of this policy and its framework has not been cleared, utilizing the capacities of all stakeholders, especially women, is one of the most important manifestations of the realization of participatory management. Rural women make up half of the beneficiary population of natural resources and, despite the limitations, play a considerable role in managerial, social, and economic activities. However, the main focus and attempt of managers' intention on participation, has been dedicated to men. Rural women affect the quality of management and protection of natural resources due to their wide connection with these resources and the transfer of their knowledge, information, and beliefs to the next generation. This study aimed to identify the role of rural women in activities related to natural resources management in villages of Chahar-zebar region – Kermanshah.
Materials and Methods: Four villages of Chahar-zebar Olia, Deh-Sefid, Goharabad, and Kashanbelek in Mahidasht district of Kermanshah province were selected to conduct this research. The considerable forest cover and employment of most of the villagers in rural jobs and animal husbandry to meet their livelihood were among the most important criteria for choosing these villages. A total of 153 women living in the villages were interviewed in a survey using a researcher-made questionnaire and through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews (mainly due to the low literacy level) and direct observation of women's activities. The individual characteristics of the respondents, the general profile of the household, the role of women and the time of their participation in various activities of managing and utilizing natural resources, the relationship of women with the natural resources administration, women's knowledge of the natural resources of their village, the repeatability of activities and the participation and companionship of other people were among the variables that were recorded and measured for investigation the role of women in the management (conservation and utilization) of natural resources. To evaluate the role of women in management and decision-making at the household level, their role in the directing and administration of expenditure and income was questioned. Spearman's correlation analysis was done to determine the relationship between different personal and social characteristics of women with different features of the activities performed by them.
Results: Based on the findings, women in the villages surveyed have a low to medium knowledge about natural resources. Despite predicting 30 types of activities related to natural resources in the questionnaire, women were involved in only 27% of natural resources activities while a considerable share of the practices (96.7 percent) were done with the participation of other people (other women, husbands, and children respectively). Women were more commonly engaged in activities such as collecting mushrooms, edible plants, seeds, fruits, medicinal plants, and firewood, while tasks like using forest wood, fighting forest fires, and fencing yards with branches were less commonly performed by women. This study showed that women's knowledge of the village's natural resources was average to low. Correlation analysis indicated that factors such as age, religious activity and the desire to migrate had a negative relationship with the role of women in both management and decision making, while a positive correlation was observed for time spent in forest activities. Additionally, variables like age, length of stay in the village, and tendency to migrate were also negatively correlated with the time spent on forest-related activities.
Conclusion: Based on the research findings, it is evident that women in the studied region have limited participation in the management of natural resources. They only engaged in the utilization of some forest and pasture products while not performing considerable activity in the conservation and development of the resources. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize and enhance the role of women in governing natural resources to improve preservation and restoration efforts. Raising awareness, providing counseling, and increasing involvement of women in this field are essential steps to address the current lack of participation. The fact is that contrary to the claim of NRO, local communities, and villagers, both women and men, do not have a considerable role in the management of natural resources. The very little connection with the natural resources’ office indicates the lack of promotion and educational programs suitable for women and the lack of presence of natural resources experts among local communities. Therefore, it is suggested that the Natural Resources and Agriculture Departments seriously take into account education to local communities in their plans. Paying attention to the education and empowerment of young women is of great importance in the management of natural resources, since they perform more activities in natural resources, they have relatively more knowledge of natural resources, and their role in management and decision-making is also more considerable. We concluded that the duration of women's activity in natural resource appears to be a key factor determining their understanding and involvement. It is essential to valuing women's contribution and utilizing their potential effectively in natural resources conservation and restoration to establish an efficient participatory management system.