<< Back to Learning Center
Gender Differences in Perceptions of Environmental Changes in West Kalimantan, Indonesia: Existing and Shifting Social Roles
Gendered norms, knowledge, and between-gender relationships can impact climate change adaptation/mitigation at the individual and community level. Indonesia, particularly West Kalimantan, is significantly affected by climate change and is committed to combating it with attention to equality and equity. Focusing on a case-study site in West Kalimantan, we explored gendered perceptions of environmental changes and whether and how those are shaped by social roles and contextual factors. Through four focus groups and a survey, we found a variety of gender differences in perceptions of local issues but also generational changes in men in the expression of those differences. However, governance issues were found to unite both genders in the perception of impact on them as an agrarian community. The paper highlights the evolving nature of gender differences and unifying similarities in interactions with environmental changes, and stress the need to intentionally include men and women’s experiences in local planning and policy.
Key points
- Both men and women were both concerned about environmental change, but prioritized different issues based on gendered divisions of labor. Men emphasized forest loss, wildlife decline, and reduced fish stocks. Women prioritized water access, sanitation, and household-level impacts. These differences were closely tied to everyday roles and responsibilities.
- men rated the state of the environment more negatively than women.
- Older men focused more on farming constraints. Younger men emphasized sanitation and clean water access, including impacts on women’s health. This suggests shifting gender norms and evolving environmental priorities.
- While gender differences were clear, both men and women strongly agreed that industrial expansion, lack of government action, and restrictive policies were major drivers of environmental and livelihood pressures. Governance failures were seen as compounding climate and ecological change.
Suggested citation
Anastasia Voronkova, Adam E. Miller, Radisti A. Praptiwi, Putri D. L. Pratiwi, Jito Sugardjito, Mathew P. White & Karyn Morrissey (23 Jul 2025): Gender Differences in Perceptions of Environmental Changes in West Kalimantan, Indonesia: Existing and Shifting Social Roles, Society & Natural Resources, DOI: 10.1080/08941920.2025.2534958
Share
