Gestión de Áreas Protegidas con Equidad de Género

There is a consensus that successful management of AP requires considering multiple factors, including political, social, technical, and administrative aspects, and that local community participation is fundamental. This involves the direct involvement and participation of women and men in planning, implementation, management, and monitoring of AP. The relationship between gender equity and AP is crucial for achieving effective conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Understanding and analyzing the differences between women and men living in AP and their surrounding areas is essential. These differences can be grouped into four interconnected categories: roles, responsibilities, and rights; access and control of resources; decision-making and participation; and social and cultural norms. In the context of AP in the Amazonian Andes, where various indigenous peoples reside, it is necessary to recognize local specifics. Women often have responsibilities related to natural resource management but lack rights over them. For example, they work in collecting non-timber forest products, such as medicinal and edible plants, and firewood, but are not owners of the forests or holders of forest concessions. Men generally play a more significant role in exploiting natural resources for commercial purposes, such as in the forestry and timber industries or in the marketing of castanets. Women dedicate more time to reproductive activities, such as cooking, collecting firewood and water, and childcare. These functions can vary, for instance, when men migrate in search of employment opportunities, women may assume more agricultural responsibilities. The right of access and control of natural resources, such as land and forests, differs for men and women due to economic, social, institutional, and legal factors. Women have experienced greater legal or cultural restrictions, particularly regarding property and land access, resulting in fewer opportunities for credit, training, and support services. The Colombian, Ecuadorian, and Peruvian governments have included references to environmental conservation, habitat, territory, and resource management in their national gender policies. These policies recognize the importance of considering gender equity in the context of AP. The Colombian National Public Policy on Gender Equity for Women includes a section on territory, habitat, and environment, while the Ecuadorian Plan for Equality, Non-Discrimination, and Good Living for Ecuadorian Women includes a section on territory, autonomy, and decentralization. The Peruvian National Plan for Gender Equality 2012-2017 includes a section on environment and gender, highlighting the need to value women's contributions to natural resource management and environmental protection. The six categories of management or management of AP proposed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are: Ia - Strict Nature Reserve, Ib - Wilderness Area, II - National Park, III - Natural Monument or Feature, IV - Habitat/Species Management Area, and V - Protected Landscape/Seascape. Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru have adopted this classification, making some variations in the names of the categories. These three countries have national systems of AP legitimized in their Constitutions and are administered by the Ministries of Environment. However, the percentage of the Amazonian biome under the AP regime varies among countries, with Ecuador having between 20 and 30%, while Colombia and Peru have between 10 and 20%.