Gender Assessment in Coastal Resources Management Coastal Erosion and Mangrove Forest Degradation in Trat’s Coastal Communities
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- 1 วันที่ผ่านมา
- ยาว 8 นาที
Executive Summary
This report on Gender Assessment in Coastal Resources Management: Coastal Erosion and Mangrove Forests Degradation was the second phase following the Gender Assessment of Small-scale Fisheries in the Upper Songkhla Lake. The Gender Development Research Institute (GDRI) conducted a gender assessment in the coastal areas of Trat Province, eastern Thailand, which have been severely affected by coastal erosion and the decline of mangrove forests. The assessment aims to identify key gender dimensions, issues, and needs in the affected areas related to coastal erosion, mangrove forests, and coastal resource management. Consequently, recommendations for closing gender gaps inform the improvement of gender-responsive policies.
Trat Background Information: Trat is approximately 178.19 kilometers long along the coast, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, and is characterized by dense mangrove forests that provide habitat and food for aquatic and other rare animals. Trat’s rich ecosystem supports the cultivation of fruit, palm oil, rice, and rubber. It is also a base for the production, sale, and export of fruits, fisheries, aquaculture, and health and community tourism. Over the years, Trat has experienced coastal erosion, degradation of the preserved mangrove forest, and declines in marine resources. As for natural causes, climate change, particularly rising sea levels, stronger winds, and waves hitting the shore, has intensified, altering the landscape of beaches, shores, and coastal lines.
Target Area of Study and Respondents: The field study was conducted from 24 to 27 February 2024 and covered nine sub-districts in Trat Province, employing mixed-methods data collection. A total of 45 participants were included. Thirty-seven people (25 women, 12 men) participated in FGD sessions; eight (6 women, 2 men) participated in in-depth interviews; and a mini survey was administered to 36 FGD participants.
Findings on Gender Gaps: The proportion of respondents was higher among women than among men, at a 3:1 ratio. Therefore, the critical gender gaps and recommendations presented across all seven sections place greater weight on data from FGDs and in-depth interviews than on data from the mini survey.
The study identified a gender equality enabler that emerged during data collection and could facilitate gender mainstreaming. The two local organic women's and mixed-gender associations are growing strongly. A few good community self-reliance economic development role models, such as Ban Yai Mom Community Enterprise and Safety and Wellness Community Tourism of Ban Namchiao, should be replicated. Another premise is increasing support and recognition of women’s value from male partners and high-ranking government officials.
Gender Gaps and Recommendations for Closing Gaps: The findings align with the gender dimension specified in the Social Sustainability Framework, which comprises three key dimensions: recognition, representation, and distribution. The study also reveals the underlying causes of gender inequality in these three dimensions.
1. There is an unrecognition of the value of women’s gender roles, in which women face triple burdens daily, including productive, reproductive, and community participation. The women’s socioeconomic gap and the debt burden were imposed on women due to household financial responsibility.
2. The underrepresentation of women in formal leadership and decision-making structures as equal beneficiary stakeholders stems from the gender stereotype perception and cultural norms that are attributed to male dominance.
3. The undermining to translate inclusive gender-sensitive conceptions and language in the national legal and policy frameworks, such as Blue Economy, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), signed treaties like the Convention on Biological Diversity, SDG, and other gender-aware relevant to serve as guidelines for interventions at the regional and local government agencies, contributing to unfair distribution of resources for women.
Institutional, Cultural, and Governance Gender Gaps: Critical barriers include women's underrepresentation (at 16-19%) in formal politics and in Local Fisher Organizations (LFO), to women's equal access to government resources, marine and coastal resources, and the available resources. The absence of gender-disaggregated data in fishery- and conservation-related government agencies, and the lack of enablers such as CGEO and GFP, hinders efforts to promote gender equality for women in coastal communities. Traditional gender stereotype division of labor demands women to play multiple roles in production for livelihood incomes and reproduction, including household chores, household finances, and other community activities, contributing to timelessness for women or the so-called Gender and Time Poverty. Coupled with the debt burden and demanding household responsibilities, it contributes to physical exhaustion and mental stress.
Recommendation for closing institutional, cultural, and governance gender gaps: Strategic steps promoting gender mainstreaming in marine and coastal management and conservation:
1) Develop gender-sensitive and gender-disaggregated guidelines in line with gender conceptions and language in the national legal and policy frameworks for the regional and local government agencies' policies and planning in managing, distributing, and conserving marine and coastal resources. Gender equality frameworks within the Blue Economy and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), signed treaties such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, SDG Goals 5 and 14, and other gender-relevant issues should be considered and implemented through internal and cross-ministerial collaboration.
2) A gender quota and gender-responsive budgeting stipulated in the Constitution (Chapters 27 and 71) should be adopted for all decision-making and planning bodies regarding the use and management of marine and coastal resources. At least 30% of women's involvement or seats should be a minimum measure.
3) Training on leadership, business management, online communication, science, and technology, and providing women with grants to start alternative economic initiatives and networking building.
4) Reducing women's household burdens to give them more free time to participate in conservation design on plans, implementation, and monitoring through gender-sensitive recognition of caregiving/unpaid value training for male counterparts.
Socioeconomic and Economic Opportunities Gaps: The study finds that women in coastal communities perform fisheries and agricultural occupations equally, supplemented by general hired labor. The depletion of coastal and marine resources is one of the most significant causes of women’s higher debt obligations than men. Some women participants reported switching between primary and supplemental jobs, which is quite common, and some needed more than two or three jobs to survive. In the fisheries sector, fewer women are members and leaders of the LFO, which limits opportunities to access DOF and DMCR funds. Women’s fishery-related productive value lies in post-harvest activities, including peeling, cleaning, seafood processing, and selling, which are not fully recognized. In the agricultural sector, women’s responsibilities are intensified in watering, picking ripe fruit, processing food, and selling. Women tend to manage the adverse effects of drought on a routine basis. At the same time, men try to find solutions to saltwater intrusion, drought and flooding, water storage, cutting trees, and transporting products. Both genders are equally exposed to chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Women depend more on natural resources than men to secure livelihoods and incomes, mainly when they collect invertebrates, small fish and crabs, traditional herbs, honey, and mangrove palm leaves, and when they run eco-tourism in the nearby mangrove forest. Women also benefit from beaches and shorelines, as they run shops selling products for tourist recreation. The degradation of mangrove forests causes women to face greater economic and livelihood hardship.
Women’s Empowerment Funds primarily benefit women who are registered and part of the women’s network, leaving out women who are uninformed about the funds' benefits or whose needs do not align with the WEF’s promoting theme.
Recommendations for Closing Economic Opportunities Gaps:
1) Restoration of mangrove forests and coastal resources to increase the catchment of small fish and crabs, invertebrates, honey, and various traditional herbs for consumption and sale. Resources such as palm leaves, sea, and rare animals could increase the volume of eco-tourism. Women’s Empowerment Funds need to refine their regulations to support more community enterprises, women-led economic models, and green economic activities.
2) Improve agricultural practices and alternative livelihood options in coastal communities. These efforts should include increasing women's adoption of diversified crops and introducing new alternative agriculture that can grow in salt soil.
3) Engagement of both women and men in addressing drought and floods, water storage technology, freshwater distribution, desalination, and the registration of Community Protected Mangrove Forests.
4) Review the laws and policies to resolve conflicts over the distribution of marine resources between small-scale fisheries and commercial fisheries. For example, participants suggested expanding the small-scale fishery area into a deep-sea zone beyond the 3-kilometer border in response to reduced marine resources for small-scale fisheries due to climate-related temperature change.
Mangrove forest degradation and coastal erosion affect vulnerable families and communities, hindering economic access. Different roles and responsibilities lead to distinct knowledge and actions; women are highly aware of rising sea levels that erode their housing and affect the safety of family members and food sources. Men tend to be mindful of the overall shortage of marine and coastal resources, impacted by climate change, including CO2 emissions and ecosystem degradation, or find solutions to break the sea wave and rise and understand the concept of the Blue Economy.
Recommendation for closing vulnerability gaps:
1) Government responsible agencies should continue lifting and repairing houses, or, in the worst case, relocating people, especially vulnerable families with older adults, children, and the sick, to inland areas to be safe from sea-level rise, flooding, and erosion.
2) Resolve housing built within the government’s protected area and cancel or reduce coastal housing taxation to an affordable level. This would increase the community's sense of belonging and help conserve the protected areas.
3) Seek consultation with both men and women in affected communities when designing and building all types of erosion control, such as seawater breakers, to prevent unexpected results, such as sand sediment moving to block the sailing channels of small boats going in and out to the sea.
4) Identifying the most vulnerable groups with intersectional disadvantages, such as female elders, single mothers, and families with dependent members, requires urgent assistance.
Leadership and Participation Gaps
Women’s representation is high in organic and informal structures that address women’s livelihood and economic concerns, conservation, and participation in community forums to resolve various issues. Women account for 50% of tourism experts on the Provincial Marine and Coastal Resources Committee, but their representation is relatively low, with only 16-19% of elected councilors and only 7% of executive chief positions in formal local politics.
Recommendation for closing leadership and participation gaps:
1) Committee or Community dialogue on marine and coastal resource management must engage a critical number of women, at least 30%, to enable women to identify viable, alternative, and sustainable livelihood and income-generating options that meet the needs of both women and men.
2) Identify and develop leadership capacity among female community members interested in becoming champions and leaders within existing systems. Recruitment can begin with an active women’s network, such as the Thai Women's Network of 77.
3) Promote micro-credit, entrepreneurial, and digital literacy skills for women in coastal communities. Specifically, WEF can redesign revolving-fund schemes to better address the needs of women in the fisheries, agriculture, and ecotourism sectors.
4) Strengthening access to climate change information, both adaptation and mitigation, and to scientific technologies such as solar energy for women in coastal communities, so they can use them to increase marine and mangrove forest products for consumption and sales.
The recommendation for the implementation of Trat’s Blue Economy:
Government agencies responsible for promoting a Blue Economy should pay more attention and include concerns and recommendations from local people, including both women and men, to solve long-term, durable problems. The study suggests freshwater storage in an Underground Water Bank, studies of alternative fruit options, economic agriculture for saline soil, and studies of re-shoreline techniques to curb seawater flooding. All levels of government should conduct gender assessments with local residents in affected communities before construction to mitigate the impacts of sea waves and rising sea levels and to reduce unwanted impacts, such as changes to the seascape and coastal scape.
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