Abstract
The paper is about a study that rested on the mapping of how men and women gain entitlements (access to, ownership and control) of coastal resources through endowments, referred to herein as environmental entitlements. Environmental entitlements are enhanced by institutional means and mechanisms and the policy dimension of which demand specific forms of action to promote and protect them. The central role played by institutions (regularised patterns of behaviour between men and women in society) in bringing about changes to the environment and society relationships, was the premises of the study. The study explored on how men and women command natural resources that are instrumental to their wellbeing (van Ingen, Kawau, & Wells, 2002). A combination of data collection techniques were used, which included in-depth household interviews, focus group discussions, participant observations, and documentary review to capture the understanding of the relationship between environmental entitlements and gender roles. Various alternative conceptualisations of gender-environment relations, which can roughly be thought of as translations of the findings into the environment domain, were also used. As an action research, it highlighted a number of empowerment issues for participatory implementation with the focus on women. This is in recognition that there is undervaluation of both environmental resources and of women’s labour in managing and conserving these.
Highlights
The coastline of Tanzania (Annex 1) is an endowed environment with scenic, diverse and rich resources making it a unique part of the land and a potential livelihood source
The paper is about a study that rested on the mapping of how men and women gain entitlements of coastal resources through endowments, referred to as environmental entitlements
It has been observed that the majority of the community representatives are aware of the gender aspects and gender issues resulting into passive gender relations in the access to, control and use of natural resources in the areas surrounding seashores in Coastal regions in Tanzania
Summary
The coastline of Tanzania (Annex 1) is an endowed environment with scenic, diverse and rich resources making it a unique part of the land and a potential livelihood source. As well as endangered species (e.g. the dugong and loggerhead turtle - Caretta caretta) for specific consideration, many of the livelihoods adopted by people in coastal communities in Tanzania are on the use of these rich environmental resources differently (Francis & Bryceson, 2001). Despite of this richness, the socio-economic studies of Tanzania coastal areas (Francis & Bryceson, 2001; TCMP, 2003; Sesabo & Tol, 2005) have shown that most of its communities are exceptionally poor. Many of the livelihoods, adopted by people in coastal communities are based on the use of different natural resources, depending on environmental entitlements on one hand and gender relations on the other
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