BRIDGE

How have gender issues been treated in USAID natural resources / environmental projects in Africa' What kind of questions need to be asked, or steps taken, to incorporate gender concerns into the design of projects' Drawing on the literature relating to gender and natural resources management, this report examines the treatment of and information about gender issues within 11 USAID natural resources / environmental projects.

Addressing the root causes of women's poverty and overcoming barriers to their full participation in the management of natural resources are central to achieving the ultimate goal of sustainable development. This newsletter highlights factors which contribute to women's poverty, the impact of poverty on the environment, and ways in which natural resource management projects can be designed to overcome barriers to women's participation. The main focus is on ways in which USAID has responded to gender concerns in its natural resource management projects.

How can constraints to integrating gender in relief be overcome' The 'tyranny of the urgent' in emergencies tends to override longer-term developmental concerns, including gender issues. This issue of 'Development and Gender in Brief' explores the potential for tackling existing constraints, including biases in the distribution of food aid. Also highlighted is the need for gender-sensitive policies to support coping strategies during times of emergency.

Have recent changes in environmental policy produced real benefits for women' Evidence suggests that many projects fail to promote women's interests. This issue of 'Development and Gender in Brief' highlights how, for example, attempts to address the wood shortage in Ghana have been biased towards men, and how special efforts are required to extend women's participation in water and sanitation activities beyond their traditional roles.

What kind of information is needed to incorporate gender issues in fisheries planning' How can this information be obtained' Based on experiences in Eastern and Southern Africa, this paper provides guidelines for inland fisheries planners on incorporating gender into their work. Key issues at both the macro- and micro-level which provide an entry point for planners in analysing and incorporating gender-related and socioeconomic issues are identified, and key questions for sectoral planning and project formulation in these areas discussed.

Environmental protection is integral to the struggle for survival of millions of women in the developing world. Development projects aimed at improving the lives of women need to also consider what environmental impact the project will have. This guide, aimed at UNIFEM staff and consultants, provides a framework to evaluate projects and programmes from an environmental perspective.

Do women and men benefit equally from water and sanitation activities' Do they have adequate control over design and management of services' The move towards the community provision of services and greater involvement of women in water supply and sanitation (WSS) policy has done little to address gender relations and inequalities. Programmes have often resulted in heavier workloads for women, with their work often taken for granted. Meanwhile, men continue to fill managerial, decision-making and technical positions.

Does gender analysis have any impact on the effectiveness of water resource management' If so, have women's concerns been adequately recognised separately to men's' Managing water resources is currently a high priority for international policy makers and international organisations such as the World Bank and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). However, little attention has been given to how gender differences affect water resource management (WRM), and supposed gender neutral approaches hide gender biases in implementation.

To what extent are gender considerations incorporated into development initiatives in Malawi' What are the key issues affecting women's legal and political status as well as their roles within the economy and the family' This report offers a general overview of the status of women in Malawi and points to the strong bias of existing literature towards rural areas and the southern region. Moreover, existing research tends to lack or over-simplify gender analysis.

The Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) has prepared a gender profile, Country Gender Analysis, for each country where they have a programme of co-operation. Each report is an overview of the situation of women in a certain country and analyses economic, political and socio-cultural aspects as well as policies and activities of civil society actors, the government and other donors. The objective is to assist in integrating gender in their programmes and policies and to identify and support local initiatives. This particular Country Gender Analysis focuses on Sri-Lanka.