5 - Conclusions and Recommendations
5.1 Women's Experience of Co-management in New Zealand
It was found that, consistent with overseas findings, there are barriers to women's representation, participation and involvement in decision-making in New Zealand co-management groups. This was demonstrated in the survey analysis of 22 New Zealand-wide co-management groups which found that men were more likely to be members than women and more likely to take on leadership roles in co-management groups. The survey found that, overall, women were more likely to participate than men, although there were physical and attitudinal barriers to women's participation.
This report concludes that co-management groups need to embrace a balance of social, economic and environmental issues in order to eater for the interests of both women and men. Due to their experiences of gendered division of labour, women have different environmental concerns which are often linked to health and family well-being. Interviews with members from the two case study groups, Whaingaroa Environment (WE) and North Otago Sustainable Land Management (NOSLaM), confirmed that women were more interested in aesthetic, social and health aspects and men more interested in financial, economic and technical aspects of the environment. Rural groups retain an exclusive focus on production aspects (as in the case of NOSLaM) women are less likely to participate.
Co-management groups in New Zealand must address the needs of women as well as of men. Survey results show there is a considerable degree of ignorance regarding women's needs. Interviews with WE and NOSLaM members revealed two types of needs: practical (including needs relating to childcare, community, off-farm work and economic commitments), and strategic (including needs relating to traditional gender roles, attitudes of men and the lack of confidence of women).
These ease studies highlighted the need for co-management groups to be more aware of women's triple responsibilities which leave little time to participate in co-management groups. In addition, the case studies emphasised the importance of communication strategies to assist women in meeting their strategic needs.
Special attention was given to women's experience in decision-making, as women are often absent from leadership roles in co-management groups in New Zealand. These public leadership roles present a challenge to women, especially farm women, as traditional attitudes still place women in subordinate roles which hold them in the 'private' domain. Farm women are often perceived (by women and men) to lack the technical expertise or knowledge to talk about resource management if they are not involved with the day to day work of the farm. The sustainable management of land is therefore naturalised as the men's domain and, as a result, fewer women participate in decision-making in co-management groups, which focus on land and production issues. Rural co-management groups need to recognise the contributions that women make to strategic decision-making on the farm and in business and acknowledge the value of work women do in the home that assists the farm or business operation.
It is evident that leadership roles in co-management could be more attractive to women if committees were more open to different decision-making styles. Women who do have access to public space are not always comfortable with the hierarchical structure of male-dominated groups and choose not to become involved in leadership roles. When there are a number of women on the committee it influences the way in which it is run. More women in decision-making positions also encourages women's participation in general.
5.2 Gender and Planning
Many co-management members are unaware of the barriers to women's participation in groups and to decision-making and, as a result, are unable to address them. It is part of a planner's role in co-management groups to encourage awareness of women's concerns and needs and to assist in the understanding of actions required to overcome barriers. Planners have input into how the group is established, how the committee is formed, how its goals are shaped and how the field days and workshops are organised all elements of co-management that can influence the participation of women. Additionally, the attitudes and actions of planners are also seen as crucial to addressing the needs and interests of women in co-management groups.
Overall, planning in New Zealand was found to be 'gender blind'. Surveys of 12 New Zealand local authorities revealed there are no formal policies for consulting women, providing for their needs or monitoring their involvement in the planning process. The decision to encourage more women was left to the individual and most planners did not actively encourage women's representation, participation or involvement in decision-making because they were already thought to be "well" represented. "Well" represented, however, does not translate into "equally" represented.
Interviews with planners from the Otago Regional Council, Environment Waikato, the Waikato District Council and the Waitaki District Council revealed that those few planners that did attempt to address barriers faced several constraints. The greatest constraint related to the lack of support from other planners, who are not interested in women's concerns. This lack of gender awareness is thought to be caused by the absence of women in senior and policy-making positions in the planning profession, the masculine culture of planning and the inadequate coverage of gender issues at the tertiary level. The second major constraint to women's participation refers to a lack of resources due to the user-pays approach of councils.
Similarly to co-management community members, planners must recognise the unequal power relations between women and men. Planning can contribute to changing the position of women.
Once planners realise they can influence gender equality within co-management groups they can devise planning strategies to overcome the barriers to women's participation.
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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