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    WOCAN Woman Farmer Delivering Women’s Statement at the UN 
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    Planning for WOCAN South Africa 
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    WOCAN Men’s Network, Nairobi 
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    WOCAN Members with South African Government Officials at UN 
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    Participants of WOCAN Course on Reframing Leadership for Women and Men for Gender Equality 
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    Indian Partners in WOCAN Course on Gender and Organizational Change, Nepal 
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    WOCAN Members Attending Gender and Forestry in Africa Meeting, Accra 
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    Advisory Committee, WOCAN West/Central Africa 
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    Women Farmers with Woman Professional, Cameroon  
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    WOCAN Board Members Representing Women’s Interests at the UN  

Yamile Julio Castillo
Intern in the Philippines
Tarija, Bolivia

Q: What is it like to be a young woman in a male-dominated field?

A: Being a young woman in a male-dominated field can be a very hard situation. At the beginning of my career and during my first year of study, I had to face many difficulties like people underestimating my physical capacity as a woman in the forestry field, as opposed to my capacity as a student. Many male colleagues used to think that I was not able even to walk in the forest and that I was not strong enough to deal with certain inconveniences, like carrying my own back pack or drinking non-potable water, because I was a woman and was weak.

During the next couple years the situation became easier. My classmates gained respect for me and I got a lot of their appreciation (what many gender authors would call "invisible power"). They became more protective of me instead of competitive and with many of them we would support each other. However, one day during a field trip one of my teachers asked me why I was so enthusiastic about studyi...

WOCAN is a women-led global network of professional women and men engaged in agriculture and natural resource management who are committed to organizational change for gender equality and environmentally sustainable development.

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This Network of Women Ministers and Leaders in Agriculture is facilitated by WOCAN. Deadline to receive applications: March 20, 2010

Final draft of the paper, Engendering Agricultural Research that is being prepared for this month's GCARD meeting is now available on-line in WOCAN's web-site.

IUCN paid a tribute this 8 of March to all the outstanding women who have made an impact in relation to gender and climate change, acknowledging the past, present, and future accomplishments in these fields of 7 women around the world, including WOCAN Director, Jeannette Gurung.

Interesting blog on Grist's web-site regarding last week's announcement of the High Level Advisory Group on climate financing.

The fellowships are open to African women working in agricultural research and development from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia who have completed a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in selected disciplines. The deadline for all applications is March 22, 2010.

A new online database produced by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shines a light on how women lag far behind men in their access to land, major stumbling bock to rural development.


There are no upcoming events.

Conference on Securing Food Security in the Face of Climate Change
May 04, 2010

The Challenge Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food security (CCAFS) invites you to participate.


The Fifth South Asian Gender, Water and Equity Training Workshop
Jun 14, 2010 - Jun 18, 2010

Organized by SaciWATERs, Cap-Net, Society for Promoting People's Participation in Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM) and Gender and Water Alliance (GWA)


International Workshop on Collective Action, Property Rights, and Conflict in Natural Resources Management
Jun 28, 2010 - Jul 01, 2010

Abstracts must be received no later than January 15, 2010. Full papers (6000 to 8000 words) must be submitted by April 15, 2010