Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal

Despite evidence of women’s roles and expertise in the management of water, energy, food, and the environment (WEFE), the WEFE literature is almost silent on gender issues. In the context of climate change, achieving more inclusive management of natural resources is vital; yet women continue to be u...

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Autores principales: Buchy, Marlene, Elias, M., Khadka, Manohara
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Frontiers Media 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132069
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author Buchy, Marlene
Elias, M.
Khadka, Manohara
author_browse Buchy, Marlene
Elias, M.
Khadka, Manohara
author_facet Buchy, Marlene
Elias, M.
Khadka, Manohara
author_sort Buchy, Marlene
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Despite evidence of women’s roles and expertise in the management of water, energy, food, and the environment (WEFE), the WEFE literature is almost silent on gender issues. In the context of climate change, achieving more inclusive management of natural resources is vital; yet women continue to be underrepresented as professionals in WEFE sectors, and largely absent in leadership positions. Using Nepal as a case study, this paper explores the enduring barriers to their exclusion, and entry points for greater equity among professionals in these sectors. To do so, we draw on key informant interviews with 34 male and 31 women professionals from government, civil society, non-governmental organizations and consultants, as well as a roundtable discussion with 20 women professionals specifically focused on gender barriers in these sectors in Nepal. Drawing on Gaventa (2006)’s power cube, this paper examines how power dynamics within and between the public and the private spheres create a web of barriers that conflate to sideline women professionals. While women have reached the “closed space” as defined by Gaventa (i.e., are recruited to professional positions in WEFE sectors), different sources of “hidden” and “invisible” power at play in the public and private spheres continue to limit their participation, influence and decision-making. We argue that the continued marginalization of women professionals calls for a focus on understanding the power and intersectionality dynamics that sustain exclusion. This focus is critical for the development of strategies to increase the voice and leadership of women professionals in WEFE decision-making.
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spelling CGSpace1320692025-12-08T10:29:22Z Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal Buchy, Marlene Elias, M. Khadka, Manohara gender equality social inclusion role of women barriers leadership water management energy food production environment nexus approaches climate change social norms decision making marginalization discrimination caste systems ethnicity sexual harassment public sector private sector non-governmental organizations policies Despite evidence of women’s roles and expertise in the management of water, energy, food, and the environment (WEFE), the WEFE literature is almost silent on gender issues. In the context of climate change, achieving more inclusive management of natural resources is vital; yet women continue to be underrepresented as professionals in WEFE sectors, and largely absent in leadership positions. Using Nepal as a case study, this paper explores the enduring barriers to their exclusion, and entry points for greater equity among professionals in these sectors. To do so, we draw on key informant interviews with 34 male and 31 women professionals from government, civil society, non-governmental organizations and consultants, as well as a roundtable discussion with 20 women professionals specifically focused on gender barriers in these sectors in Nepal. Drawing on Gaventa (2006)’s power cube, this paper examines how power dynamics within and between the public and the private spheres create a web of barriers that conflate to sideline women professionals. While women have reached the “closed space” as defined by Gaventa (i.e., are recruited to professional positions in WEFE sectors), different sources of “hidden” and “invisible” power at play in the public and private spheres continue to limit their participation, influence and decision-making. We argue that the continued marginalization of women professionals calls for a focus on understanding the power and intersectionality dynamics that sustain exclusion. This focus is critical for the development of strategies to increase the voice and leadership of women professionals in WEFE decision-making. 2023-09-28 2023-09-29T17:05:29Z 2023-09-29T17:05:29Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132069 en Open Access Frontiers Media Buchy, Marlene; Elias, M.; Khadka, Manohara. 2023. Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7:1146187. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1146187]
spellingShingle gender equality
social inclusion
role of women
barriers
leadership
water management
energy
food production
environment
nexus approaches
climate change
social norms
decision making
marginalization
discrimination
caste systems
ethnicity
sexual harassment
public sector
private sector
non-governmental organizations
policies
Buchy, Marlene
Elias, M.
Khadka, Manohara
Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal
title Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal
title_full Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal
title_fullStr Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal
title_full_unstemmed Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal
title_short Invisible women: barriers for women professionals in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors in Nepal
title_sort invisible women barriers for women professionals in the water energy food and environment sectors in nepal
topic gender equality
social inclusion
role of women
barriers
leadership
water management
energy
food production
environment
nexus approaches
climate change
social norms
decision making
marginalization
discrimination
caste systems
ethnicity
sexual harassment
public sector
private sector
non-governmental organizations
policies
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132069
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