Bimbika Sijapati Basnett, a research scientist for the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), has unveiled some potentially harmful outcomes for rural women as the Nepalese government refuses to recognize the role of migration in its national forestry policies. In rural communities of Nepal, nearly 94% of men migrate abroad in search of work, leaving care of the community forests to the women left behind. This transfer of responsibility has been found to either empower or burden women, depending on other sociological pressures such as caste and age. By recognizing the role of migration in its forestry policy, Sijapati hopes that federal policies can be shaped to better the livelihoods of women across Nepal considering their differing economic and social backgrounds. Photo credit: Stephen Bugno
