Role of Gender in Wetland Resource Management

Wetlands are integral part of our environment and intimately associated with human society. Even then, there is an increasing concern particularly on conservation of wetlands as habitats for wetland biodiversity. In human society, amongst men and women, women are more concerned about environment and they play prominent role in protection and preservation of natural resources including wetland resources. It has been seen that women in rural areas are more linked with wetland resource use, care and conservation of wetlands than men. Greater domestic responsibilities make women socially and psychologically more sensitive to changes in their surroundings as well as for wise use of wetland resources than males. Their traditional gender roles bring them in daily contact with various natural resources like land, water, wetland, forest and wildlife. In the fishing sectors, both freshwater and marine, they contribute a great deal in household income generation and to the fishing economy through collecting, sorting, processing, packaging, marketing, etc. In North Eastern Indian state of Assam, foodplain wetland fisheries follow the history of traditional management wherein the role of women especially fisher women is immense in prevalent management of foodplain wetlands. In the present communication major roles of Indian women are reviewed with respect to their intimate association and concern towards utilization of wetlands and wetland resources from different states of India especially from Assam and West Bengal. Since women act as the initiators and tutors of their children, women should be involved more and more on problems and issues of our environment including wetlands so that environmental conservation particularly wetland and wetland biodiversity conservation can be achieved through their active participation.