14 November 2013
UN Report Links Women’s Role in Natural Resource Management to Peace and Recovery
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A publication titled 'Women and Natural Resources: Unlocking the Peacebuilding Potential' explores the potentially strong role that women can have in building long-term peace in war torn countries.

The report describes the central role of women in meeting the water, food and energy needs of households, but underscores that women in many countries are excluded from resource management decision making and land ownership.

women-and-natural-resources6 November 2013: A publication titled ‘Women and Natural Resources: Unlocking the Peacebuilding Potential’ explores the strong role that women can have in building long-term peace in war-torn countries.

The report, which was developed by the UN Environment Program (UNEP), UN Women, the UN Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) and the UN Development Program (UNDP), describes the central role of women in meeting the water, food and energy needs of households, but underscores that women in many countries are excluded from resource management decision making and land ownership. The report presents cases where women’s roles in resource management were not considered in peace negotiations, undermining recovery and exacerbating vulnerabilities. The report also notes that women are often insufficiently targeted in post-conflict recovery with most funding directed towards male-dominated commercial crops.

Upon the report’s launch, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said sustainable natural resource use is the “cornerstone of development.” The report urges governments and the international community to engage women in natural resource management and to increase women’s opportunity to own natural resources. It calls on peacebuilders to better understand the way women use, manage, and make decisions on natural resource use. [UN Press Release] [Publication: Women and Natural Resources: Unlocking the Peacebuilding Potential]

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