Institute of Development Studies

The need to build women's interests into policy making on the environment is widely accepted and many environment projects have made attempts to involve women. But up to now the approach has been too narrow. As a result, women have gained little, and in some cases have become worse off. If women are to benefit, a more subtle approach is needed to replace the current 'add women in' mentality; one that recognizes the complex interactions between women and men, and takes account of how power structures within families, communities and institutions affect environmental management.