The deforestation in Nepal is upsetting the delicate ecological balance and effecting the lives of many of the people, especially the hill women, who use these resources in their household. The deforestation increases erosion, causing landslides, and raises the silt in rivers, changing their course and flooding the southern plains. The majority of Nepal's population is rural and they depend on agriculture for their livelihood. It is estimated that 95% of the wood taken in deforestation is used for fuel primarily used in cooking. The farmers developed a complicated system of land preparation and terracing, but this has not stopped erosion on the steeper slopes. Since women are the ones who get the wood for fuel and other products they must become an integral part of any conservation plan. With the Nationalization Act of 1957, the forest land became the property of the government and therefore managed under the Ministry of Forests through the department officers. Later legislation involved the communities in replanting and longterm care and transfer of tracts for protection and management. In addition nurseries were created for seedlings and the improved wood burning stoves were distributed. Women were not initially involved in these programs because of their traditional role, but through training programs involving local communities, the importance of women in forestry conservation was recognized. Women were first employed in nursery labor and then as supervisors and now more are involved in project activities and forestry staff. They have been most helpful in training others in using the new fuel-efficient stoves.
{"title":"Forest conservation in Nepal: encouraging women's participation.","authors":"A. Molnar","doi":"10.31899/PGY4.1034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31899/PGY4.1034","url":null,"abstract":"The deforestation in Nepal is upsetting the delicate ecological balance and effecting the lives of many of the people, especially the hill women, who use these resources in their household. The deforestation increases erosion, causing landslides, and raises the silt in rivers, changing their course and flooding the southern plains. The majority of Nepal's population is rural and they depend on agriculture for their livelihood. It is estimated that 95% of the wood taken in deforestation is used for fuel primarily used in cooking. The farmers developed a complicated system of land preparation and terracing, but this has not stopped erosion on the steeper slopes. Since women are the ones who get the wood for fuel and other products they must become an integral part of any conservation plan. With the Nationalization Act of 1957, the forest land became the property of the government and therefore managed under the Ministry of Forests through the department officers. Later legislation involved the communities in replanting and longterm care and transfer of tracts for protection and management. In addition nurseries were created for seedlings and the improved wood burning stoves were distributed. Women were not initially involved in these programs because of their traditional role, but through training programs involving local communities, the importance of women in forestry conservation was recognized. Women were first employed in nursery labor and then as supervisors and now more are involved in project activities and forestry staff. They have been most helpful in training others in using the new fuel-efficient stoves.","PeriodicalId":85504,"journal":{"name":"Seeds (New York, N.Y.)","volume":"216 1","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1987-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74170426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Developing non-craft employment for women in Bangladesh.","authors":"M Chen","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":85504,"journal":{"name":"Seeds (New York, N.Y.)","volume":" 7","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"22026265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Working Women's Forum: organizing for credit and change.","authors":"M Chen","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":85504,"journal":{"name":"Seeds (New York, N.Y.)","volume":" 6","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1983-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"22034054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Working Women's Forum (WWF), established in Madras in 1978, has brought together over 13,000 poor urban women around the issue of credit. Most women who live in the slums of Madras work as small-scale traders and vendors, their earnings often providing over half the family income. Interviews with these women revealed that their primary concern was increasing their earning capacity. The WWF was set up to enable these women to obtain low interest loans to expand their businesses. The key element in the WWF structure is the neighborhood loan group, comprised of 10-20 women from the same area who act as mutual guarantors for the loans of all group members. Over 7000 women have received loans and the repayment rate has been over 90%. About 2800 new jobs or businesses have been created, and earnings have increased an average of 50% in existing enterprises. Women report that they are eating better quality and more varied foods as a result of their increased income. The WWF is expanding its activities to address the political and social problems of working women as well. The Forum operates day care centers, skills training centers, and remedial classes for schoolchildren. In 1980 the WWF launched a family planning program in which field workers (who are drawn from the WWF membership and paid $18 per month) disseminate information on health, nutrition, and family planning to families in their communities. According to a staff member, this program was an outcome of the realization that "income generation and large families do not go together." The WWF also promotes intercaste, no dowry marriages and lobbies for public services. Women have become more confident of the possibility of gaining control over their lives, including their fertility. The WWF experience demonstrates that an organization does not need a lot of money, educated staff, or technical expertise to reach poor women. The Forum's success is attributed to its selection of one critical issue, utilization of local leadership, organization of women around existing neighborhood ties, and decentralized management.
{"title":"The Working Women's Forum: organizing for credit and change.","authors":"M. Chen","doi":"10.31899/PGY4.1043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31899/PGY4.1043","url":null,"abstract":"The Working Women's Forum (WWF), established in Madras in 1978, has brought together over 13,000 poor urban women around the issue of credit. Most women who live in the slums of Madras work as small-scale traders and vendors, their earnings often providing over half the family income. Interviews with these women revealed that their primary concern was increasing their earning capacity. The WWF was set up to enable these women to obtain low interest loans to expand their businesses. The key element in the WWF structure is the neighborhood loan group, comprised of 10-20 women from the same area who act as mutual guarantors for the loans of all group members. Over 7000 women have received loans and the repayment rate has been over 90%. About 2800 new jobs or businesses have been created, and earnings have increased an average of 50% in existing enterprises. Women report that they are eating better quality and more varied foods as a result of their increased income. The WWF is expanding its activities to address the political and social problems of working women as well. The Forum operates day care centers, skills training centers, and remedial classes for schoolchildren. In 1980 the WWF launched a family planning program in which field workers (who are drawn from the WWF membership and paid $18 per month) disseminate information on health, nutrition, and family planning to families in their communities. According to a staff member, this program was an outcome of the realization that \"income generation and large families do not go together.\" The WWF also promotes intercaste, no dowry marriages and lobbies for public services. Women have become more confident of the possibility of gaining control over their lives, including their fertility. The WWF experience demonstrates that an organization does not need a lot of money, educated staff, or technical expertise to reach poor women. The Forum's success is attributed to its selection of one critical issue, utilization of local leadership, organization of women around existing neighborhood ties, and decentralized management.","PeriodicalId":85504,"journal":{"name":"Seeds (New York, N.Y.)","volume":"33 1","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1983-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75809613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Women and handicrafts: myth and reality.","authors":"J Dhamija","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":85504,"journal":{"name":"Seeds (New York, N.Y.)","volume":" 4","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1981-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"22003674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Although handicrafts are often advised when income-generating activities are sought for women, "feminine" crafts tend to be time consuming, give poor returns, and offer little opportunity for upgrading skills. Under some conditions handicrafts can be a means of increasing income for women, but several key issues must be considered. Before starting, the existing conditions under which women work, possibilities open to them based on traditional or easily acquired skills, as well as prospects for creating and managing the organization structure needed to support a handicrafts project should be analyzed. Traditional distinctions between women's craft work and men's craft work may need to be overcome. A thorough study of the overall economic situation, the work women already do, available materials, and existing or potential markets should be done, in most cases by experts. Links with traditional markets should be preserved while new markets are sought. Existing institutions which could help in the development of technical training, marketing, and credit should be utilized. A well motivated and competent technical staff and proper management are important elements of a successful project. Caution is necessary in developing handicrafts, because of the danger of exploitation and increae in the burdens already borne by women.
{"title":"Women and handicrafts: myth and reality.","authors":"J. Dhamija","doi":"10.31899/PGY4.1047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31899/PGY4.1047","url":null,"abstract":"Although handicrafts are often advised when income-generating activities are sought for women, \"feminine\" crafts tend to be time consuming, give poor returns, and offer little opportunity for upgrading skills. Under some conditions handicrafts can be a means of increasing income for women, but several key issues must be considered. Before starting, the existing conditions under which women work, possibilities open to them based on traditional or easily acquired skills, as well as prospects for creating and managing the organization structure needed to support a handicrafts project should be analyzed. Traditional distinctions between women's craft work and men's craft work may need to be overcome. A thorough study of the overall economic situation, the work women already do, available materials, and existing or potential markets should be done, in most cases by experts. Links with traditional markets should be preserved while new markets are sought. Existing institutions which could help in the development of technical training, marketing, and credit should be utilized. A well motivated and competent technical staff and proper management are important elements of a successful project. Caution is necessary in developing handicrafts, because of the danger of exploitation and increae in the burdens already borne by women.","PeriodicalId":85504,"journal":{"name":"Seeds (New York, N.Y.)","volume":"70 1","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1981-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84725433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}