Abstract

This article discusses the potential for soft-governance instruments and processes such as the National Gender Equality Strategy to implement a strategy aiming at improved competiveness through gender equality. A central question addressed is how to create a women entrepreneurial identity within the framework of the dominant gender order in the forest sector? The literature review and policy analysis upon which this article is based shows that both structural and individual factors in combination are important for women to be motivated to develop a business in the green sectors. While fully agree with the above, this article takes the discussion one step further by pointing out how policy programs designed to support rural business often have been carried out in a top-down fashion without sufficient knowledge about specific target groups, and have primarily focused on men's businesses within the primary business areas. In order not to be "genderblind," specific support built from the grassroots level with sufficient knowledge about the target group, i.e. women forest owners, is crucial. Several studies also show that in order for programs or strategies with vague effect goals to work, they have to be legitimate and accepted by the stakeholders, which has shown to be one of the most fundamental weaknesses of this type of soft-governance approach. The essential factor is not the goal itself, but rather which tools are available for implementation. Otherwise, this type of soft policy instruments will only work on those who already believe - that is to say, it is seducing the already seduced.

Keywords

women entrepreneurs; gender equality; entrepreneurial identity; forest policy; governance

Published in

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research
2015, Volume: 30, number: 3, pages: 226-234
Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS AS

SLU Authors

• Lidestav, Gun

  • Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls


UKÄ Subject classification

Gender Studies


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2015.1011408

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/69606