Gender and Attitudes toward Protected Areas in Myanmar

Abstract

From grassroots conservation projects to international committees on the environment, women's representation is an important component of a fair, inclusive, and effective conservation process. In this article, we focus on gender differences in local residents’ attitudes toward protected areas in Myanmar. We found women are less likely to have a positive attitude toward the protected areas and are less likely to express perceptions of problems and benefits associated with the areas than men. Using decomposition analysis, we find that the majority of the difference between men's and women's attitudes is explained by these differences in perceptions. Further, much of the difference is explained by men being more likely to perceive conservation and ecosystem service benefits than women, which is the most influential determinant of attitude.