Uncovering gender disparities in payment for forest environmental services (PFES): A feminist political ecology view from Vietnam

Despite the Payment for Forest Environmental Services (PFES) program being recognized for its achievements in promoting environmental conservation and empowering forest-dependent communities, its vertical impacts require a more nuanced investigation, given the constantly changing policy landscape in Vietnam. In 2023, we employed the Feminist Political Ecology (FPE) approach to examine gender disparities in PFES participation, resource accessibility, decision-making power, and knowledge of PFES across 66 households in A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. Our findings reveal striking gender gaps in PFES participation, resource accessibility, decision-making power, and knowledge, with men dominating meetings and training programs, and having their names predominantly listed in forest land certificates, while women's perspectives are often overlooked. These inequities are deeply entrenched in patriarchal ideologies and traditional social prejudices, which have systematically excluded women from development programs. Moreover, our research uncovered a significant lack of knowledge about PFES among both men and women in the study community, partly attributable to institutional factors and command-and-control structures. We argue that achieving gender-equitable governance requires a multifaceted and nuanced approach that recognizes the complexity and diversity of institutions at the household and community level. Gender equality is a constantly evolving process with a wide range of issues and debates at various levels. Therefore, a long-term, gender-sensitive approach that empowers women and recognizes their critical role in forest governance is imperative for promoting equitable and sustainable development.