Deconstructing Identity Politics in Forest Governance Through Women‐Led Conservation Movements of South Asia

ABSTRACT Forest governance in South Asia is shaped by long‐standing conflicts between state control and forest‐dependent communities, a legacy of colonial policies that were intended to marginalise Indigenous rights. Within these conflicts, women play a central but often overlooked role as primary users of many non‐timber forest products (NTFPs) and carriers of traditional ecological knowledge from generations. This review examines postcolonial women‐led forest rights movements in South Asia through the lens of political ecology and intersectionality by drawing on case studies such as Baiga, Dongria Kondh, and Khasi tribes of India, community forestry user groups in Nepal, collaborative forest management initiatives in Bangladesh, and the current situation in Bhutan and Sri Lanka. We find many similarities across these diverse countries and contexts including entrenched gender norms, caste hierarchies and customary tenure systems that intersect to constrain women's participation in decision‐making in local social forestry bodies, even in situations where legal frameworks intend to promote inclusivity and equity. Women have often emerged as leaders of grassroots mobilization by defending customary rights and resisting deforestation by challenging timber and mining industries, at times being actively supported by their male counterparts. Some studies also suggest that when women secure leadership in local forest governance, both forest health and community well‐being improve significantly. However, these gains still remain fragile as they are often undermined by multiple factors, including inefficient bureaucracy, elite capture, and market pressures. We also find evidence of how tokenistic inclusion of women in local forest governance bodies contrasts with transformative outcomes achieved through forest rights movements. The studies examined by us emphasize the need to revisit local forest governance models and move beyond quotas to rethink the distribution of power and resources more equitably among men and women at the grassroot levels.