Presentation on Gender by Cecile Ndjebet of REFACOF-Cameroon. ICRAF Science Week 2014

1. ICRAF Annual Science Week
Gender:
from imperative to action
NNaaiirroobbii,, SSeepptt 1100,, 22001144
BByy ::
MMrrss CCéécciillee NNddjjeebbeett
RREEFFAACCOOFF
CCaammeerroooonn

2. OOuuttlliinnee
1. Background information on REFACOF
1. Why is it important to take a gender perspective
and specifically involve women in climate change
and natural resources management programs
and policies?
2. REFACOF’s perspective on gender, climate
change and natural resources management:
Gender and REDD+ in Cameroon
3. Towards a more inclusive sustainable
development pathway: ICRAF Theory of Change
4. Engagement at local, national and global level:
Some entry points
1. Lessons learnt and challenges
2. Conclusion

3. 11.. WWhhaatt iiss RREEFFAACCOOFF??
REFACOF i.e. “African women’s Network for
community management of forests”
 REFACOF was created in May 2009 in Yaoundé, Cameroon
under the auspices of the International Conference on
Tenure, organized by the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife
(MINFOF), International Timber Organization (ITTO), Rights
and Resources Initiative (RRI) and other partners
 REFACOF has elaborated its 5-year strategic plan with 4 strategic
pillars:
 Reinforce the institutional capacity of the network
 Promote equitable tenure reforms
 Influence the agendas and initiatives of forest tenure reforms at
the national, regional and sub-regional levels
 Favor horizontal exchanges of experience sharing among
members

4. • The added value from existing women’s organization is that
REFACOF is an advocacy platform focused on African
women’s tenure rights in land and forest reforms
Mission:
 Promote women’s rights in Africa and influence policy
to achieve gender equity in land and forest tenure
To date REFACOF is composed of 16 Central and West
African countries including Madagascar

6. WWhhyy iiss iitt iimmppoorrttaanntt to take a gender
perspective and specifically involve
women in climate change and natural
resources management programs and
policies?
It is widely recognized today that :
Women play an important role in natural resources
management in Africa;
Most of the women’s lives and that of their families
depend on forests and forest resources;
Also, in almost all Central and West Africa countries:
Women represent at least half of the population;
Women produce up to ¾ of food crops;

7. In almost all West and Central Africa countries, all
forests and lands are owned and managed by the
State:
◦ 95 to 97% of the Africa forests are owned by the State
◦ Only 3 to 5% are shared among private property (mainly
individuals) and communities
According to FAO, only 2% of women have ownership
rights to land in the Word;
A scoping study carried out in Cameroon, RCA, Gabon
and Liberia by REFACOF showed that :
◦ Women’s activities in West and Central Africa can drive
deforestation and forest degradation: shifting cultivation
with slash and burn systems, NTFP exploitation with
sometimes non sustainable techniques;
◦ Women contribute very significantly to climate change
mitigation and adaptation as well to sustainable natural
resources management: agroforestry activities, tree
nursery, forest regeneration, community forestry, forest
rehabilitation, etc.

8. Women have very limited access to and almost no control
over forest and land;
Women’s interests and issues are not taken into account in
almost all forest and land policies, legislations and
regulations; neither in climate change strategies.
In most sub-Sahara African countries under the
customary systems:
◦ Women do not own forests, nor lands
◦ Women do not inherit forests, nor lands
◦ Women only have user rights on forests and on lands
◦ Married women benefit from their husband’s lands
◦ Widows benefit from their male children’s lands
◦ Unmarried women either benefit from their male children,
or can share that of their mother!
Governments are giving out thousands hectares of
land and forest concessions to Agro-business, logging
companies and industrial companies while
communities and women are being more and more
landless !

9. Sub-Sahara Africa is a patriarchal society : Men are
Chiefs of everything! : Chief of the family; Chief of
the resources, Chief of decision making, …!!
The customary systems were made and are being
ruled by men!

10. In general,
Women have no control over the forests, lands and
other natural resources in general!!
Women are in most cases « strangers » in both their
family and their husband’s family!
The women vulnerability and discrimination vis-à-vis
forest and land tenure starts from their own native
family!!
The women vulnerability is worsen by African land
grabs systems!
If nothing is done,
REDD can worsen the situation of women’s
land and forest tenure and hinder the entire
economic development of the Continent!

11. pe REFACOF’s perrssppeeccttiivvee oonn GGeennddeerr,,
CClliimmaattee CChhaannggee aanndd NNaattuurraall rreessoouurrcceess
mmaannaaggeemmeenntt:: GGeennddeerr aanndd RREEDDDD++ iinn
CCaammeerroooonn
Women direct and qualitative participation in ongoing
reform processes in the member countries;
Advocating for women property rights to land and
forests;
VVaalluuiinngg wwoommeenn’’ss ccoonnttrriibbuuttiioonn ttoo CClliimmaattee CChhaannggee aaddaappttaattiioonn
aanndd mmiittiiggaattiioonn;;
BBuuiillddiinngg RREEFFAACCOOFF mmeemmbbeerrss’’ ccaappaacciittiieess;;
BBuuiillddiinngg ssttrraatteeggiicc aalllliiaanncceess wwiitthh ssoommee kkeeyy aaccttoorrss lliikkee
MMeenn,, PPaarrlliiaammeennttaarriiaannss,, MMaayyoorrss aanndd TTrraaddiittiioonnaall CChhiieeffss;;
NNeettwwoorrkkiinngg

12. Example: Gender and RREEDDDD++ iinn CCaammeerroooonn::
wwoommeenn aacccceessss ttoo ddeecciissiioonn--mmaakkiinngg ppoossiittiioonn
Cameroon CSO Platform on REDD&CC was created in
July 2011 in Yaoundé as an Advocacy platform with
inclusive and consultative role
Composed of 16 national networks
Mission is to advocate for full and effective participation
of civil society organizations, women, indigenous
people, local communities in REDD&CC processes
Structure:
◦ National Coordinators: REFACOF, RFC, MBOSCUDA
◦ Regional Coordinators
◦ District Coordinators
◦ Village Coordinators

13. As Platform coordinator, REFACOF has succeeded to
get women involved at all levels of the REDD+
decision-making process : 30-40% women at the
decision-making position at Village, District, Regional
and National levels:
◦ Regional Coordinators: Women 40%; 30% IP
◦ District Coordinators: Women 37%; 12% IP
◦ Village Coordinators: Women 38%

14. TToowwaarrddss aa mmoorree iinncclluussiivvee ssuussttaaiinnaabbllee
ddeevveellooppmmeenntt ppaatthhwwaayy:: IICCRRAAFF TThheeoorryy ooff
CChhaannggee
CGIAR system
Competing Theories of Change
level objectives
Goal 1. Raising
rural income
through enhanced
connectivity with
global and national
markets, modified
by integrated
approach to
demographic,
economic,
rural/urban and
cultural transitions.
A. Rapid integration
in global markets,
B. Optimizing local
development pace
and
connectedness
C. Promoting gender-responsive
methods and
practices
3’ Intro: key gender-sensitive
statistics on
the issue, related
SDG targets.
3’ Champion for A:
the hard-core
economist
3’ Champion for B:
the concerned social
scientist
3’ Champion for C:
gender-sensitive
Social scientist

15. CGIAR system level
objectives
Competing Theories of Change
Goal 2. Closing yield and
efficiency gaps in
agriculture and food
systems. With growing
global demand for primary
production for food, fibre
and energy, current yield
gaps (actual yields below
potential) and efficiency
gaps (current efficiency
below potential) are a direct
concern, while in the long
term an increase in the
potential is desirable/
necessary while simply
maintaining current levels is
a challenge in the face of
climate change.
A. Scalable and
gender-sensitive
intensification
focused on
increased input
use to reduce
yield gaps,
B. Ecological
intensification
with attention
to gender
responsive
efficiency gaps
and modified
demand
patterns.
3’ Intro: key gender
sensitive statistics
on the issue,
related SDG
targets.
3’ Champion for A:
the hard-core
‘yield-gap’ gender
sensitive
agronomist &
breeder
3’ Champion for B:
the concerned
gender sensitive
ecologist

16. CGIAR system
level objectives
Competing Theories of Change
Goal 3. Improve
nutrition security to
eliminate
malnutrition and
enhance healthy
and nutritious diets.
Healthy nutrition
requires more than
calories provided by
staple foods,
especially for young
children. As dietary
choices change, new
health issues
emerge, among
them, gender
considerations
A. Genetically
modified staple
food crops with
enhanced
micronutrients and
vitamins,
B. Enhanced
diversity of food
sources in an
agrodiversity
approach
C. Gender
mainstreaming in
all the value chain
3’ Intro: key gender
sensitive statistics
on the issue, related
SDG targets.
3’ Champion for A:
the hard-core GMO
techno-logist
3’ Champion for B:
the ecological
nutritionist
3’ Champion for C:
gender specialist

17. CGIAR system level
objectives
Competing Theories of Change
Goal 4. Achieve
goals 1-3 without
further compromising
environmental quality
and the multiple other
functions of land,
water and
biodiversity for
human wellbeing,
while adapting to
changing climates and
the avoiding getting too
close to the planetary
boundaries
A. Land sparing by
maximizing
gender sensitive
agricultural land
pro-ductivity,
B. Land sharing by
optimazing
multifunctionality
of land
C. Gender
mainstreaming
3’ Intro: key gender
sensitive statistics
on the issue, related
SDG targets.
3’ Champion for A:
the hard-core
ecologist
3’ Champion for B:
the integrated
gender sensitive
agroforestry
champion
3’ Champion for C:
Gender specialist

18. Theory of place :
Why: can we add “Gender” after “motivation”?
How: can we add “Gender power relation” or
“gender considerations” as the last question after
“land users?”
Who cares: can we add “what gender
considerations?” just before “are both genders
empowered?”

19. EEnnggaaggeemmeenntt aatt llooccaall,, nnaattiioonnaall aanndd
gglloobbaall lleevveell:: ssoommee eennttrryy ppooiinnttss
Based on ICRAF goal statement: “Target countries and
their civil societies and private sectors have the
knowledge base and relevant experience to achieve their
commitments to SDG’s with and through agrofores­try”,
some entry points could be:
Understanding country and regional contexts
◦ Use gender-sensitive criteria to choose a given country:
gender institutional analysis;
◦ Review the existing Gender and NRM/REDD+/Climate
Change, etc. country/regional documents/strategies/policies,
etc.
 Gender policy? Gender strategy? Gender road map? Gender-sensitive
data? General knowledge in gender and related issues? Gender-based actor
analysis?, Ongoing processes?, Etc.

20. Design, formulate and implement gender-sensitive
programs and projects:
◦ How can programs/projects contribute to gender mainstreaming?
what activities? budgets? human resources?
◦ Indicators? partners?
Build partnership with/Take advantage of the
existing Women Networks/platforms at
national/regional levels
◦ SWOP gender analysis of actors?
Get a mixture of gender-sensitive and gender-blind
countries:
◦ Programs and projects in various countries to compare
results/outcomes
Set/Use gender indicators for monitoring and
evaluation of programs/projects

21. Build gender capacities of the staff and of the
institution
◦ What is the level of Gender knowledge in the institution? Is
Gender an institutional choice? Does the institution have a
gender policy/strategy/road map?
At national and local level:
◦ Get Gender sensitive people
◦ Build capacities of actors, partners, stakeholders,
women, IP’s, etc.: information, sensitization, education,
communication
◦ Develop Gender sensitive criteria
◦ Ensure gender monitoring and evaluation of the
activities/project/program
◦ Build strong networks and strategic alliances with men,
traditional Chiefs, Parliamentarians, Mayors, …

22. LLeessssoonnss lleeaarrnntt aanndd cchhaalllleennggeess
It is possible to move from imperative to action with
Gender mainstreaming strategies!
TToo aacchhiieevvee tthhiiss,, tthheerree iiss aa nneeeedd ffoorr ::
◦ GGeennddeerr aass aann iinnssttiittuuttiioonnaall cchhooiiccee
◦ GGeennddeerr--sseennssiittiivvee ppllaannnniinngg,, pprrooggrraammss,, pprroojjeeccttss
◦ GGeennddeerr--rreessppoonnssiivvee bbuuddggeettss
◦ GGeennddeerr--sseennssiittiivvee hhuummaann rreessoouurrcceess aass wweellll aass ggeennddeerr eexxppeerrttss,,
eettcc..
Some challenges have to be addressed:
◦ Political will
◦ Financial resources
◦ Personal motivation
◦ ???

23. CCoonncclluussiioonn
If ICRAF theory of change is more Gender-sensitive:
•ICRAF can very effectively address Gender, Natural
resources management and Climate Change issues;
•ICRAF can become one of the very important institution
and « effective tool » that can effectively improve Gender
mainstreaming challenges and contributes very
significantly to Sustainable and Equitable Development;
•We need ICRAF for the World :
•to acheive sustainable development!
•to combat poverty! to combat Climate change!
•to acheive social justice!
•to overcome conflicts!
And for REDD+ to work!

24. TThhaannkk yyoouu vveerryy mmuucchh!!
Contact:
Cécile Ndjebet
REFACOF
cecilendjebet28@gmail.com
www.refacof.org