From consultation to leadership: Advancing gender equality and social inclusion in social forestry

Social forestry is central to climate action, biodiversity conservation and rural development. Its success depends not only on policies, but also on who makes decisions and who benefits from them. New analyses from Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao PDR show that gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) is not peripheral to social forestry impacts. GESI is critical to ensuring effectiveness, equity and investment readiness.

Where governance is inclusive, forests tend to be better protected, rules are more widely followed and benefits are shared more equitably. Inclusive governance also strengthens legitimacy. When diverse stakeholders are involved in decision-making, processes are more transparent, conflicts are reduced and accountability improves.

The economic case is equally strong. Women and youth play central roles in non-timber forest product value chains, small-scale processing and forest-based enterprises. Where they take on leadership roles, incomes diversify and businesses are more resilient.

GESI is also becoming essential for accessing finance. Mechanisms such as REDD+, payments for ecosystem services and carbon markets increasingly require safeguards, equitable benefit-sharing and inclusive governance. Systems that fail to demonstrate inclusion risk missing out on these opportunities.

Progress in policy, gaps in practice

Policies across Southeast Asia increasingly recognize gender equality and social inclusion. Many include provisions for participation, non-discrimination and equitable benefit-sharing.

However, implementation is lagging. Decision-making is often dominated by local elites. Women, youth and marginalized groups may be present, but their influence over key decisions – such as resource allocation, management planning and benefit-sharing – remains limited.

In many cases, participation is symbolic. Women are often confined to subsistence or administrative roles, rather than leadership or financial and strategic decision-making. Similar patterns affect youth and marginalized communities, whose contributions rarely extend beyond consultation. Social norms, unequal access to training and finance, and weak data systems continue to reinforce these gaps.

Several barriers continue to limit progress. These include representation without real decision-making power, limited capacity among institutions and facilitators to integrate GESI, unequal access to finance, markets and training, weak data systems that fail to capture gender and social differences, and inadequate safeguards and accountability mechanisms.

These challenges highlight that inclusion requires more than participation. It requires changes in power, resources and institutional systems.

Where changes are happening

Despite challenges, there are clear opportunities to accelerate progress. Policy reforms are creating entry points to embed inclusion more systematically. Revisions to social forestry guidelines in Cambodia, for example, offer a chance to introduce participation targets and gender-responsive budgeting. Similar opportunities exist in Indonesia’s regulatory framework and Lao PDR’s evolving forest governance systems.

Digital tools are also transforming how inclusion can be measured. Non-timber forest products, ecotourism and agroforestry provide pathways for women and youth to generate income and strengthen forest stewardship.

At the same time, climate and biodiversity finance reinforce the case for inclusion. Funding mechanisms increasingly reward systems that demonstrate equitable benefit-sharing and strong safeguards.

Moving from participation to influence

GESI is not an add-on to social forestry. It is a requirement for results.

Achieving meaningful inclusion requires a shift from presence to power. Five priorities stand out: 1. Setting clear targets for participation and leadership, 2. Building leadership and institutional capacity, 3. Expanding access to finance, markets and business development services, 4. Strengthening monitoring and data systems and 5. Ensuring safeguards and safe, accountable participation.

Stronger forest management, more resilient livelihoods and greater access to finance all depend on inclusive governance systems that address differences in power, access and opportunity.

The shift is already underway across Southeast Asia. The priority, for RECOFTC and our partners in the UN-REDD Asean Social Forestry Initiative, is now to scale it, ensuring that participation leads to influence, and that inclusive governance becomes standard practice sustainable forest management.

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Robin aus der Beek is senior project manager at RECOFTC.

RECOFTC has been contributing to the UN-REDD ASEAN Social Forestry Initiative – with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation – in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme and the Non-Timber Forest Products–Exchange Programme. Within the framework of UN-REDD Global Technical Assistance, the initiative supports climate change mitigation through social forestry actions in ASEAN countries, working with the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Working Groups on Forest and Climate Change and on Social Forestry, as well as the national governments of Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao PDR.