Women's dependence on forest and participation in forestry: A case study of joint forest management programme in West Bengal

The study examines extent of women's dependence on forest and their participation in gender sensitive planning of joint forest management programme in West Bengal, where the provincial government made pioneer attempt during early 1990s by establishing separate female forest management unit to accommodate women's preference, needs, knowledge and values on forest resources providing separate provision in institutions. It suggests that women's participation in their own management unit is substantially higher than men's in the general (joint) forest management unit, and the former ensures women's major contribution to their household's income with women's greater physical involvement in forestry works.