HARIBON’s comprehensive Protected Area Governance (PAG) for Women Training Plan was designed as a coaching and mentoring program to equip women leaders in Presidential Proclamation No. 1636 (PP 1636) with the knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSA) that they need to become competent environmental conservation leaders at the forefront of environmental governance. After the third year of HARIBON’s Women Go project in 2022, these women completed the training, creating new champions for biodiversity and the natural ecosystems of PP 1636.
The PAG for Women Training Plan was specifically designed by the Women Go project for the women to have their own unique comprehensive capacity development curriculum that would ensure their effective transformation as leaders capable of taking on the responsibilities and challenges of protected area (PA) governance. The plan is anchored on the values of a biodiversity champion, defined by HARIBON as someone who embodies a lifestyle in harmony with nature while inspiring others to do the same.
Why do we need the PAG for Women Training Plan
To craft the plan, a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) was conducted by the project team, and they found gaps in the women’s knowledge, skills and perceptions that could hinder them from becoming skilled leaders who are confident in engaging in environmental governance. The objective of the plan therefore is to develop and strengthen the expertise of the women and their organizations that would fill those gaps and effectively lead PA management and governance of PP 1636.
The program aims and achieved the following:
- Developed and implemented modules and other learning materials through trainings, workshops, simulations, and other experiential learning exercises, and coaching and mentoring sessions focusing on the areas on the learning gaps identified in the TNA.
- Increased appreciation and participation of women in biodiversity conservation and PA management and governance, especially of PP 1636.
- Strengthened capacity of women to develop, promote and adopt community and livelihood projects that are gender-responsive, biodiversity-friendly, climate change adaptive and disaster resilient.
- Strengthened internal organizational capacity of the partner women’s organizations.
- Enhanced life skills of women to better engage in and govern the affairs of the family, community, and organization.
With this method, the team found the women reflecting the following competencies including (but not limited to):
- Sustainability principles
- Strategic management
- Collaboration
- Consensus building
- Appreciating diversity
- Communication
- Self-reflection and awareness (know thyself!)
The training plan focused on addressing the learning gaps such as:
- Biodiversity conservation and natural resource management
- Protected area governance
- Nature-based solutions to address the challenges of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management
- Gender and development
- Leadership and organizational management
- Sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity-friendly enterprises
- Life skills development