Equity framework, crucial in ensuring grassroots are included in forest management and climate change adaptation initiatives in the region

 Social forestry representatives from ASEAN state members and partner organizations met in Krabi, Thailand recently to discuss and share experiences on how to address grassroots equity issues in the context of forest management and climate change during the 2nd ASEAN-Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change (ASFCC) Learning Group Workshop. The workshop was organized by RECOFTC-The Center for People and Forests from 17th-20th August 2015 with support from the ASEAN Social Forestry Network (ASFN) Secretariat and RECOFTC-GREEN Mekong Project.

The workshop was highlighted by field visits to Baan Khlong Yang and Baan Khlong Prasong where participants observed first-hand grassroots equity issues on the ground. Participants also had a chance to interact with local community members on how they see the relationship between equity and forest management, and equity and climate change. Participants agreed that tenure security, participatory decision making process, and greater role of women (especially in indigenous communities) are not only important in natural resource management but also in equity promotion and mainstreaming.

“Gender and equity present a challenge in forest management especially in rural areas inhabited by indigenous people because of their limited participation in forest management and lack of awareness on their rights and benefits,” Ms. Chan Ratha of the Forestry Administration of Cambodia speaking on the equity issues in Cambodia.

A common challenge identified by majority of the participants was implementing forest management and climate change adaptation policies down to the village or community level, and at the same time ensuring that these policies follow the equity and gender framework.

Even though policies and guidelines in most ASEAN countries that relate to community or social forestry exist, they are still complicated when it comes to ground implementation.

Participants were unanimous that the way forward in achieving grassroots equity was not only to institutionalize the framework within government structures, but also to integrate it to the various projects of government, non-government and international organizations.

The 2nd ASFCC Learning Group Workshop was attended by government representatives from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam including SEARCA (Philippines), CIFOR (Indonesia), ASFN Secretariat (Indonesia) and NTFP-EP (Philippines).