Does gender-based leadership affect good governance in community forest management ? A case study from Bhaktapur district

Good governance is considered as a peoplecentered way of managing public affairs and resources for the benefit of the entire population so that the rights of the marginalized remain central to the entire effort (Dhungana et al., 2020; Gauli & Upadhaya, 2014; Bridgewater & Upadhaya, 2013). As stated by the UNESCAP (2005), it has eight major characteristics, viz. i) the rule of law, ii) participation, iii) consensus, iv) accountability, v) transparency, vi) responsiveness, vii) efficiency & effectiveness, and viii) equity & inclusiveness. The main purpose of "good forest governance" is to ensure prevailing ecological processes, promoting the sustainable management of resources whilst also creating benefits economically and socially. (Paudyal et al., 2017). As community forestry is considered as the global innovation towards participatory environmental governance (Kumar, 2002), community forestry has become successful in increasing the supply of forest products, improving the environmental condition, degraded forests rehabilitation, biodiversity conservation, community development and institutionalizing democratic practices at local-level in Nepal (Dhungana et al., 2018; Stapp et al., 2015; Stapp et al. 2016). The community forestry program in Nepal has been considered as a learning ground for governance reform towards gender and equity sensitivity, governmental agencies partnership, participatory decision-making, nongovernment and private sector agencies, bottom-up planning process, participatory monitoring, and evaluation process (Pokharel & Niraula, 2004). Till date, the total number of community forests in Nepal is 22,266 possessing 2,237,670.52 ha land area, and more than 2,907,871 households have benefitted from this program (DoF, 2018), and are working to attain good forest governance.