Conceptualizing environmental collective action: Why Gender Matters

SHORT ASSIGNMENT 6
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Men and women are not treated in the same way in regards to environmental management. Women participation is often constrained due to a variety of significant variables which includes perceptions, norms, the household's social and economic achievements, rules, and entrenched territorial claims. Women often encounter gender-specific constraints when trying to take part in collective action. Most women can take part in different forms of activism that deal with protecting forests, but they also have to deal with a range of variables that restrict their efforts in such organizations.[Agarwal, Bina. "Conceptualising environmental collective action: why gender matters." Cambridge journal of economics 24, no. 3 (2000): 290.]
The rules that guide membership into community forestry groups (CFGs) and determine who will be part of the executive committee or general body also constrain women. These rules often allow only a single member of the household to join the organizations. Due to the current social norms, the person who is picked is often a male rather than female. Women also lack awareness about any changes with the rules and the content of the rules, and this means their participation is also limited.[Ibid, 301.]
Social norms are used to determine the kind of tasks women and men should perform, the territorial gendering of space and how males and females interact while in a public place. For example, women are expected to be housewives while being responsible for domestic work at home. This means they do not have time for other activities, such as attending a formal business meeting since they are busy with domestic tasks. These women will not be able to attend very long meetings, especially if they have a child. In such an instance, the woman is often forced to pick between the job or the child, something that does not always happen among males. Most of these meetings are arranged by males, and as a result, they do not consider some of the variables that would affect the women and her work. Domestic work also makes it harder for women to take part in patrol groups regularly.[Ibid, 303.] [Agarwal, Bina. "Conceptualising environmental collective action: why gender matters." Cambridge journal of economics 24, no. 3 (2000): 290.]
Social norms also act as a constrain since they define what is regarded as acceptable behavior in some locations. For instance, female seclusion is encouraged in some Arab or Muslim countries, which limits their participation in activities outside the home. This is also achieved with veiling, and there is strong disapproval for females in public spaces, especially in locations with a high number of males. There are also subtle spec...