Follow-Up Study Report on Gender Situation in Tanguar Haor
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Follow-up Study Report on Gender Situation in Tanguar Haor The Study Team Lead consultant and Gender Specialist Shuchita Sharmin, Ph.D. Field Support Team Ashfaq Ahmed Abdul Hamid Muhammad Hasnain Mollah Kazi Abu Sayed IUCN (INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE) BANGLADESH COUNTRY OFFICE 1 1. Introduction Tanguar Haor is a wetland ecosystem comprising of 10,000 ha of land area and is located in the north-eastern district of Sunamgonj at the foothill of the Khasi Hills. This wetland has been designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention since 2000. The ecological system surrounding Tanguar Haor provides livelihood to some 77,000 people spread over 88 villages (Census of TH, 2007). It includes a unique ecosystem, supporting 150 varieties of fishes, more than 100 resident birds and around 200 species of wetland flora. The Government of Bangladesh declared Tanguar haor as an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) in 1999 considering its critical condition as a result of overexploitation of its natural resources. In 2000, Tanguar haor was declared a Ramsar site - wetland of international importance. With these declarations, the Government has reinforced its commitment to preserve the natural resources of this wetland and has taken several steps for the protection of this ecosystem. Due to its status as an ECA and Ramsar site, under the National Conservation Strategy Implementation Project -1 (NCSIP-1), the Government (MoEF) initiated a pilot project in Tanguar haor. Under that project, a management plan was developed with technical assistance from IUCN Bangladesh in 2000. In 2002, IUCN Bangladesh on behalf of the MoEF has developed a proposal titled community based sustainable management of Tanguar Haor to seek donor commitments to fund the project. It was revised again in 2004. The main approach of the project is a co-management system to be developed between the state and the community. Following 3 key actors are being involved to make the co-management system functional: a) the State, represented by MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forest) b) Local Governments c) The Communities in the Tanguar Haor One of the major concern of the project was that the women (who constitute no less than 50% of the population in the project area), will have more meaningful involvement in different groups and associations supported by the project. With this consideration, a 2 gender baseline study had been conducted at the haor in 2010 to reveal the actual status of women as well as gender imbalances1 in the project areas and it also identified gender specific problems and needs that existed in the project area. The present study was a follow up of that gender baseline study to reveal whether there is any change in the situation after two years of community based sustainable management of Tanguar Haor Project. The study outcomes revealed the current situation and allowed a comparison between the findings of the baseline study and the present one. 2. Methodology 2.1 Study Area Tanguar Haor is a large haor that lies within Sunamganj district extending over 10 mauzas of Dharmapasha and Tahirpur upazilas of the district. This follow up study on gender situation was conducted in Mujrai, Mandiata and Janjail villages of Uttar Sreepur Union of Tahirpur Upazila which are under the Community Based Sustainable Management of the Tanguar Haor Project. 2.2 Sample The sample was a convenience sample. In total 3 in-depth interviews were conducted. A total of 5 FGDs were the main source of information for the present study. The FGDs were conducted on those who had different occupational patterns including fisheries, agriculture, handicrafts, livestock and poultry rearing; and fuel wood collection. It is significant to mention here that the FGDs were undertaken separately for male and female groups in the study area for an unbiased gender dimension of the collected data. A case study, as was found to be very relevant to report had also been collected. The detail on the in-depth interviews, FGDs and the Case Study is given in the following page through a table. 2 Here gender imbalance is determined in terms of right over assets (necessary for the job performed by male and female) and participation 3 Table 1. Summary on the FGDs, In-depth interviews and the Case Study Name/Names of Age Designation/ Topic Research Location Duration Date the Respondents Group Occupational Tools group Used Mr. Azad Accounts Officer, Brief summary of the study In-depth IUCN 30 Minuets 12-6- IUCN area, guiding information for interview office, 2012 locating target groups Sunamganj Shitesh Majumder Program Supervisor Summary of ongoing programs, In-depth CNRS 45 Minuets 12-6- method of loan distribution and interview office, 2012 repayment conditions, key Uttar information for targeting Sreepur diverse occupational groups in Union different villages Jatondro Barman, 28-47 Fishing, Reproductive, productive, FGD Mujrai 45 Minuets 13-6- Girendro Barman, Agriculture Community managing and Village 2012 Shamchandra political activities, Decision Barman, Babul Making Barman, Barmohon Barman Alpona Rani, 21-32 Cooking, Reproductive, productive, FGD Mujrai 50 Minuets 13-6- Shima Rani, Renu Household Community managing and Village 2012 Barman, Bineta, Cleaning, Domestic political activities, Decision Rekha. Work, Backyard Making gardening 4 Name/Names of Age Designation/ Topic Research Location Duration Date the Respondents Group Occupational Tools group Used Bashonti, Nirabola 22-39 Cooking, Reproductive, productive, FGD Mujrai 35 Minuets 13-6- Barman, Momota Household Community managing and Village 2012 Begum, Konika Cleaning, Domestic political activities, Decision Barman Work, Backyard Making gardening Nirmol Barman, 24-51 Fishing, Reproductive, productive, FGD Mujrai 50 Minuets 13-6- Nolendu Barman, Agriculture Community managing and Village 2012 Juwel Barman, political activities, Decision Kajol Barman, Making Nirbodol Barman Ajijul Haq, Sifot 34-76 Fishing, Reproductive, productive, FGD Mujrai 40 Minuets 13-6- Ali, Ilius Miah, Agriculture Community managing and Village 2012 Shagor, Abdun political activities, Decision Nur Making Mrs. Sufiya 55 Small Business Trajectory patterns on making Case Mandiata 50 Minuets 12-6- Begum small business as a successful Study Village 2012 initiative Hashem Mian 36 Handicrafts Advantages of making In-Depth Janjail 35 Minuets 14-6- handicrafts and its future Interview Village 2012 prospects in the remote areas 5 2.3 Study Procedure An in-depth interview was conducted with an IUCN staff at Sunamganj. As suggested by the IUCN staff, Uttar Sreepur Union was selected for a discussion session with the CNRS staffs related to the study area and data collection feasibility. A Program Supervisors of CNRS at Uttar Sreepur Union was interviewed next who along with information on interviewed issues, supported on planning the field data collection. Considering feasibility of time and accessibility, all the 5 FGDs were carried out on 13-5- 2012 at Mujrai village. Due to limitation of time, only one case study was conducted on 12-6-2012 at Mandiata village. On 14-5-2012, the last in-depth interview was conducted at Janjail village with Hashem mian whose major livelihoods is handicrafts production. A total number of 25 respondents from Mujrai village were considered for conducting the FGDs of whom 16 (64%) were male and 9 (36%) were female. A case study was undertaken on a female respondent engaged with small business initiative. Finally, an in- depth interview was taken on a male respondent who was engaged with making handicrafts. 3 Findings As the primary objective of this follow-up study was to monitor the progress of gender baseline survey which was conducted on 2010 under Community Based Sustainable Management of the Tanguar Haor Project, the findings of the present study are categorized into four subcategories following the FGD checklist used for the previous baseline survey. 3.1 Reproductive Activities According to the previous gender baseline report, reproductive activities include household activities like water collection, cooking for family members, cleaning homesteads, washing clothes, child rearing etc. The ‘natural’ order stresses that women remain more involved in the household activities and this has been evident in this study. According to the previous gender baseline report, 13.6% of female were engaged with the collection of firewood whereas in this present study, 44% of women respondents have been engaged in this particular type of reproductive activities. Household repairing works are primarily done by the male respondents which stand about 87.5% of the total male respondents in this present study. Women have been dominantly engaged in the household activities in the study area. However, most of them were found not to be 6 involved in income generating activities. Women remain at the house all day long and maintain the daily activities like cooking (100%), child rearing (88%), water collection (88%) etc. Like all other villages in the Tanguar Haor area, people of Mujrai village used to live in joint families. But, recently some nuclear families are also being formed. Male children, getting married start living apart from their parents. The prevalence of nuclear families is increasing leading to verities of insecurities for the female. While the only adult male member of the nuclear family goes out for fishing, female members at home become insecure. Education rate is very low due to unfavorable environment. However,