GENDER DISTRIBUTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN RURAL AREAS.

Management of natural resources is a responsibility of all individuals in a society regardless of their age or gender status, in some societies there are still having a wrong perspectives and insight beliefs offered by men on allowing women to participate in some activities like taking a lead in management of natural resources.

Guluka Kwalala youth environmental group is an CSO in gongo la mboto, Dar es salaam which runs a project on good governance in management of natural resources in Kisarawe district, Pwani region, in implementing the project they have been encountering some problems like minimal participation of women. According to the researches done and some interviews with the locals in Kisarawe rural communities , men are not allowing women to participate in these kind of activities because it's against their traditions and culture for women,who are suppose to stay at home taking care of families and manage all household activities.

Women in rural areas are burdened with significant responsibilities important in struggling to provide for their families which makes them to engage in different activities that involves accessibility to natural resources like agricultural activities, searching for firewood in the forests, fetching water from diferent water sources. It is obvious that if we can empower these women who are close to natural resources and create community based gender awareness approach it can help on environmental risks management.

CSO`S and YET`S should examine gender related distribution and responsibilities towards resources management for survival within rural communities. Male individuals in rural areas should be educated on gender awareness and how women activities are environmentally related with management of natural resources, there has to be some improvement in principles of sharing information benefits and increase number of women in decision body like village committees and local leadership. It has been argued that where women hold political offices or have technical expertise they can do well in shaping resources policies.

Guluka Kwalala youth environmental group plays well its role as an CSO to make sure women in rural areas are being educated on their rights in participation on good governance in managing of natural resources, giving them technical knowledge on environmental disasters and hazards.

I call upon other CSO`S and YET’S to build more supportive networking and communication mechanisms of women participation in management of natural resources, create resource mitigation strategies and giving rural communities update information on current environmental trends. We can sustain gender equality in management of natural resources and struggle for more changes and influence positive attitude to the locals that can assure the start of more understanding of allowing to participate in natural resources management.