Community, Livelihood, and Gender: Tracing the Development of the Gender and Natural Resource Management Group

Damage to the environment has now become a principal cause of poverty as well as a key factor limiting the alleviation of poverty. As society develops, people attach increasing importance to “harmony between people and nature” and sustainable development of the environment. Various countries have passed policies, laws, and regulations to protect natural resources. However, due to population growth and overexploitation, the environment has been seriously damaged. If we examine humanity and social organization more deeply, we find that one of the important reasons for such damage lies in our long-standing disregard of local people’s (men’s and women’s) ability to manage and use their communities’ natural resources effectively and in a sustainable manner.