Leisa Perch, WOCAN Member, World Centre for Sustainable Development (RIO+ Centre), reflects on ten years of WOCAN’s achievments and strategies moving forward.
Why did you become WOCAN member?
The focus of WOCAN on Gender, Agriculture and NRM was very unique, especially the distinction between NRM and agriculture which is very insightful. Another reason to join WOCAN was to be part of a network of individuals with similar expertise and view. It is very important to have a network where you can talk and share ideas and the members are willing to support.
Contribution of WOCAN
It is a great achievement to survive 10 years with this focus, not because of the competence of WOCAN but because entrenched systems are so difficult to change. Still, organizations working on NRM and agriculture are looking for a step-by-step process or a practical and immediate solution and often not intending to tackle deeper structural issues and biases. In practice, many of the key stakeholders have not moved beyond gender-sensitive to gender-responsive.
In the many years I have worked, I find more names who are working on Gender and Forestry. Sectors such as forestry are not easily accessible spaces, but WOCAN’s work has helped for this transition.
WOCAN’s advocacy work as a part of GGCA and other forums has also brought the agenda of women and environment and climate change in the forefront.
In the past 10 years of WOCAN’s work has been critical to move beyond gender sensitive agenda to gender responsive. Not just develop a wonderful project document but have activities that beneficiaries own up to and are excited to be part of. WOCAN’s approach is more grounded.
Looking ahead
I believe that beyond having solutions that are easily implemented it is crucial to have initiatives that are bankable and able to transform the lives of people. These initiatives can increase income and assets. It is not enough to just have rights –rights need to be accessible and beneficial. The certification label developed by WOCAN, the W+ Standard is such an initiative that represents an exciting shift from the theoretical to the tangible. W+ can drive investments directly to women and empower them. This new idea of connecting resource-rich women with rural women who are resource-poor is a great idea and initiative. The former represent an untapped resource, which we need to capitalize on. And I can see W+ being the vehicle to do so, with credibility. There is economic power, but there are also people who are poor—so how do we close the gap?
Some women do have high economic power and we have to move beyond ‘Victimhood to Opportunity’. W+ can be a great mechanism to achieve this transition and thinking in approach as part of the broader solution.
This is an opportunity for WOCAN and W+ is the way forward. WOCAN’s approach to work in the system to bring about change is difficult but necessary. Structures are not enabling as you think but you have to work with it to make the change.
Change is not easy, resistance will always be there. It is important to be able to adapt to the changes in the field as well, now we have issues such as climate change, economic crisis. It is important to be flexible. WOCAN has the capacity and experience of being innovative and bringing about change.