Addressing gender issues through community forest management -New challenges

This paper addresses gender empowerment issues through designing sustainable community forest management initiatives. The Global forest Index 2017 reports that forest areas are gradually decreasing in India. Declining forests land have been affecting millions of population both rural and urban. The forest which was Vedas have manifested perfect linking of man living with nature and Vedic scriptures never visualized man without environment. Vedic philosophy has been environmentally sensitive philosophy. Whole Hindu philosophy lays emphasis on environmental ethics. Vedic literature is full of references to worshipping of earth trees, plants, herbs, rain clouds and rivers. Bhaghavad geetha advises people not to change environment but to improve it. Indian scriptures have consistently laid emphasis on nurturing forests for decent human living. But disappearing forest resources have caused concern and especially women have been at the receiving end. The global debates over managing forests involving community as prime stake holders became popular after 1980s, as community was seen as a key player in safeguarding forest wealth. Nowadays Community forestry is an developing branch of forest management studies which is gaining prominence across the globe. The need to disseminate the issues relating forest management and addressing women empowerment issues has become relevant in the wake of deteriorating sustainable opportunities for women.