Gender-responsive restoration guidelines: A closer look at gender in the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology

The Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM) was developed by IUCN and the World Resources Institute (WRI) to assist countries in identifying opportunities for forest landscape restoration (FLR), analysing priority areas at a national or sub-national level, and designing and implementing FLR interventions. As part of IUCN’s effort to update the methodology, these guidelines have been developed to ensure the application of ROAM and the ensuing FLR implementation, including any policy uptake and land-use planning, is gender responsive. This means: identifying, understanding, negotiating and implementing FLR in ways that can address gender gaps, overcome historical gender biases in policies and interventions related to FLR, and ensure the outcomes of FLR interventions benefit equally women. Guidance for actions to achieve gender-responsiveness is provided within the 3 phases of ROAM; preparation and planning, data collection and analysis, and results to recommendations. Best practices and a sample Gender Plan of Action in Malawi for planning gender-responsive, context-specific FLR activities is highlighted