Constraints and opportunities to the participation of women and minorities in land restoration in Cameroon

Insufficient consideration of the needs and capacities of women and minority groups leads to sub-optimal performance, and at times failure, of landscape restoration initiatives. Landscape restoration interventions should therefore enhance participation and seek ‘empowerment’ of women and minority groups. This information brief presents key results from several studies aimed at gaining a better understanding of the opportunities and constraints to the participation of women and minority groups in land restoration activities. First, while national policies and policy instruments are not gender-discriminatory, there is room to make them more gender-sensitive and transformative, especially with regards to access and control over resources, access to information and knowledge and lastly, participation, status, and power. Second, more inclusive approaches are needed to make sure people, including women and minority groups, receive up-to-date information and training on context-specific and gender-sensitive land restoration options. Third, innovative strategies and mechanisms must be put in place to enhance women’s and minorities’ control over land restoration choices, especially in contexts where customary rules and norms restrict their access to the resources needed for land restoration. Lastly, project managers and practitioners need to give more attention to encouraging female leadership and facilitating inclusive decision-making processes in land restoration initiatives to achieve genuine participation of all.

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