Integrating a gender perspective into applied research on collective action and property rights is of particular importance because gender is a significant determinant of the distribution of rights, resources, and responsibilities within both the household and the community. Research related to this topic analyzes the ways in which gender issues affect property rights and the use of natural resources in developing countries. It examines the informal practices of resource use, usually involving multiple uses by multiple users. Also, CAPRi research explores how gender shapes women’s and men’s incentives and abilities to engage in and benefit from effective collective action as well as how different collective action institutions affect gender equity and poverty reduction. Research questions include:
- What is the impact of collective action and property rights institutions, and also of social norms and practices, legal and governance factors, markets, and religion on gender roles?
- What different strategies do women and men employ to participate in collective action?
- How do men and women negotiate access to resources?
- Do different levels of men’s and women’s involvement in the group lead to a change in its effectiveness both in terms of meeting collective goals and the process by which the group tries to achieve those goals?
- How do collective action dynamics impact the degree of gender segregation in a society?
CAPRI is currently supporting two research projects on gender and collective action.