1. GENDER IMPLICATIONS OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF MAASAI MARA, KENYA
Dr. S. M. Mukhovi , Dr. A. Odingo and Prof. E. M. Irandu
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
University of Nairobi

2. Outline of the presentation
Understanding of gender issues among the Maasai community living in Narok County
Community participation, tourism and development
Suggestions for future research

3. The Maasai are some of the most famous tribes in the world
Maasai people have contributed immensely to protection of wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania- due to culture and traditional pastoralism
The Success and sustainability of tourism (wildlife based tourism and cultural tourism) in Narok County is incomplete without active participation of the Maasai community

4. Drivers of change of Maasai Culture
Gender relations among the Maasai have been changing
Affected by social changes such as intermarriage with other tribes
Political processes such as transformation of nomadic pastoralism into semi-sedentary market oriented livestock enterprises
Changes in land tenure- from communal to freehold tenure
exposure to formal education
Sedentarization of Maasai lifestyles

5. Gender issues among the Maasai community
The relationship between men and women is influenced by age, kinship, clan and age-set affiliations
Men, women, boys and girls have distinct roles, rights and responsibilities

6. Gender Roles in Pre-colonial period
adult women cared for calves, small livestock and sick animals
milked cattle and controlled the distribution of milk to household members and visitors
had rights over trade of any surplus milk
processed animal skins, and made clothing or sleeping skins from the hides
Women were responsible for trading skins

7. A married woman was given some livestock to manage for household benefit for milk and hides and inheritance by her sons
Responsibilities over livestock depended on seniority of the wives
Women build houses (manyattas)
Involved in ceremonies related to birth and fertility blessings
Women involve young girls in their activities
Women involved in weaving and making beads
Women had substantial autonomy because their husbands often migrated

8. Men’s roles, rights and responsibilities
Adult men and young boys cared for large livestock
Adult men own livestock-right to sell, slaughter and give away as gifts
Men have exclusive rights over land
make decisions on use of land and its allocation
Together with young adults (Morans) they provide community security
Men’s roles were mainly productive as well as social roles outside the home
Older men become elders and advice community and forge relations outside community
Discussion on formation of conservancy - women are not allowed in such forums yet the decisions affect their access to important resources such as water and firewood

9. Women’s roles are now confined in the reproductive sphere; child care; collecting firewood and water, food preparation etc
women rights over livestock products has become limited due to commercialization
women cannot be members of group ranches and conservancies because they do not own land
Women not involved in decision making about land use-formation of ecotourism enterprises

10. What has changed?
Women autonomy over milk and hides reduced due to commercialization of the products
Bead making become more commercialized has potential to improve women income
Commoditization of land has denied women access to key resources important for household provisioning
Women have adopted alternative livelihood strategies such as charcoal burning, small scale farming
What can be done?
Empower women in activities, roles and responsibilities that are accepted culturally
Change women mindset about participation through awareness creation
Involve men in women empowerment
Mainstream gender in development activities
Promote girl education

11. Community participation, tourism and development
What is a community?
A community is a group of people often living in the same geographic area, who identify themselves as belonging to the same group-may be related by blood, share same religion, culture, political affiliation, class ,ethnicity etc etc
Participation must start by understanding who the community is
Communities are heterogeneous and complex-rich and poor, landless and landlords ,immigrants and old residents
What is participation?
giving people more opportunities to participate effectively in development activities
Empowering people to mobilize their own capacities, manage the resources, make decisions and control the activities that affect their lives
(Africa charter for popular participation in development ,1990)

12. Promoting community based natural resources management
Participation is ; “empowerment of the people to effectively involve themselves in creating the structures and in designing policies and programmes that serve the interests of all as well as to effectively contribute to the development process and share equitably in its benefits”. (Africa charter for popular participation in development ,1990)
Active engagement of all gender in tourism enterprises and development activities
Promoting community based natural resources management
Active community Participation in all of phases of development programmes
Each gender to have specific responsibilities
Needs assessment to know the needs of men and women
Equitable sharing of benefits from development activities

13. Suggestions for Future research
Mapping resources to establish the beneficiaries as well as those in control of resources
Reducing gender gap in community participation through awareness creation
Identifying the most gender-responsive aspects of community development and upscaling
Use gender analysis tools to analyse access to resources and benefits associated with tourism and other enterprises
Economic empowerment of both men and women
Building resilience of vulnerable groups
Mainstreaming gender in wildlife conservation and management
Best practices in gender mainstreaming in climate change adaptation

14. Sustainable development has three pillars; economic sustainability
Conclusion
Community participation is a democratic right and a means of attaining sustainable development and poverty alleviation
Sustainable development has three pillars;
economic sustainability
social sustainability
ecological sustainability
Gender issues should be integrated in all the three pillars of SD and not only in the social pillar

15. Thank you for listening