Program subject to study

In 2002, the Gender Equity, Environment and Sustainability Program was formulated; then, in 2007, the Program Aimed at Gender Equality and Environmental Sustainability 2007-2012 was integrated, from which a subsidy program was operated in 2008. This program was operated through Guidelines with resources exclusive for granting supports to groups formed mostly by women. In 2013 the program had changes. By then, the Direction of Gender Equity, the Direction of Indigenous Peoples and the Area for Youth Aimed at Environmental Sustainability were combined, to operate these three with unique Guidelines.

The main objective of the program is: to support groups of women, indigenous people and youth, through subsidies for training or investment for projects for conservation and sustainable exploitation of natural resources directed at determining and reverting the environmental deterioration and the loss of biodiversity caused by the effects of climate change, as well as from the gender perspective, promoting human development and equality of opportunities between women and men.

The subsidies are granted to operate training and investment projects, or a combination of both:

The technical categories for support are grouped in two: adaptation, with which projects aimed at the integral management of water, soil conservation and restoration, and food sufficiency, are granted; and mitigation, primarily with projects related to the efficient consumption of energy and the treatment of solid residues. Likewise, projects are supported for the strengthening of organizational and management processes.

As complement and part of the training actions, a strategy for sensitizing on human rights, gender and masculinity within the context of sustainable development was carried out, directed at groups of women and indigenous peoples. This will be imparted by an organization of the civil society selected by the SEMARNAT, based on the publication of an invitation and the performance of a selection process, and judging that will be done by the Coordinating Unit of Social Participation and Transparency (Unidad Coordinadora de Participación Social y Transparencia, UCPAST), based on the Guidelines for the granting of subsidies to organizations of the civil society published in the SEMARNAT webpage.

According to the Program, the problem that it seeks to attack is related to the limited and unequal access that rural women have to: productive and technological resources, availability of financing sources, technical counseling and training, information about organizational processes and of approach to development programs and, among other things, to the participation of community and social decision organizations. These limitations increase the vulnerability of women in face of the threat that the environmental effects of climate change represent, since its consequences, such as environmental deterioration and loss of biodiversity, intensify the social, economic and environmental problematic.

Methodology of analysis

The study methodology was the one proposed by ^{Zamudio and Núñez (2011)} for Gender Verification in Social Programs, and whose referential framework is the gender approach. According to their suggestion, this methodology allows verifying whether the social projects and programs have or implement the gender perspective. For this purpose, the incorporation of indicators is proposed that allow identifying whether this perspective includes or is integrated into the different stages.

To understand the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in the Ministry and in the subsidy program, three phases were analyzed: planning, follow-up and budget allotment for the Equality Program, regarding four fundamental aspects of the gender approach: condition, position, access and control of resources. An analysis from the gender perspective in the program was carried out; an analysis of the labor structure and salaries in the SEMARNAT Michoacán Delegation, where in addition an analysis of the gender perception of the women and men workers was included. Finally, based on a theoretical analysis, an environmental policy with gender equity for México was concluded.

To perform the analysis of the gender perspective in the program, a set of indicators that allowed evidencing the changes that the program could generate on the condition and position of women and men, were applied, for each phase mentioned. For this purpose, a matrix for gender verification was built, which is presented in Table 1.

To respond the questions set out in the Gender Verification Matrix, documentary analysis was carried out during a first moment, which included, among other things, exploring the following sources:

Later a semi-structured interview was applied with a SEMARNAT officer, with whom the stage of program design was probed. As far as the analysis of work and salary structure, as well as the perception of gender of men and women workers of the delegation, it was carried out through the application of a questionnaire with semi-open and open questions, which allows collecting information segregated by sex on the characteristics of the staff. The survey covered general data such as: place of residence, marital status, level of schooling and profession; there were also questions about the area, position and level that women and men occupy within the Ministry. Another section questions the level of access to resources in men and women, their abilities and the activities that they perform, the training they receive and the recognitions or stimuli from work. Finally, with the questionnaire, there were inquiries about possible recognition or demands received from their work performance, as well as in the personal and family spheres.

Finally, the proposal for environmental policy for women was carried out by considering the results obtained, and a theoretical revision was made of some studies that have carried out similar proposals with the aim of comparing information.

Gender verification in SEMARNAT’s Equality Program for the 2013 fiscal year

In this section the results obtained with the Gender Verification Matrix are presented verbatim. Regarding the stage of planning, the qualitative analysis assessed that there is not a gender perspective, since it is based on the model of Women in Development (WID), in which women are integrated into the processes defined from the global economic system without considering their needs. It is a program that does not consider the real needs of women and continues to treat them as if they were an isolated element of society. Social relationships are gender relations, so women cannot be considered in an isolated manner, since they live within a society with traditions, stereotypes and gender roles that have been assigned, and where the intra- and inter- gender relationships must be taken into account to achieve modifications in the social environment that do not allow their segregation, and with this attain greater equity.

The incorporation of the gender perspective to the SEMARNAT Equality Program is a strategy that addresses the practical demands of women without integrating them into the process of planning and application of the public policy. The programs set out from the WID are focused on the attention of the needs that women and men experience from their assigned role, and which are fruit of daily responsibilities, as a response to the immediate material conditions.

The main themes of the projects supported by the program have to do with: the efficient consumption of energy (firewood-saving stoves); integral water management (construction of ferrocement tanks for rain water capture); food security (construction of organic vegetable gardens); treatment of solid residues; conservation and restoration of the soil; and strengthening of community organization and management. These actions tend only to practical needs that are not exclusive of women; however, due to the social construction around this, they are identified as women’s needs and activities.

An important aspect that was identified was the case of the integration of the groups benefited. The program proposes the participation of women and men for the integration of the groups; however, this action could be distorting some aspects like interest, collaboration, intervention, and even decision making of women in the program, which is why a particular study is necessary with regard to the incidence of the participation of men in a group of women.

In environmental terms, the program, with its scarce budget allotment, attempts to stop and revert the deterioration of natural resources and the loss of biodiversity caused by the effects of climate change, which in turn have been fostered by the current economic model; this, through human development and equality of opportunities between women and men. In this sense, there is an attempt to work with rural women and the social activities that they have assigned based on roles, so as to intervene with projects for conservation and protection of natural resources. However, although it is known that women have a triple role (since they carry out household chores, in the backyard or even in the plot, tasks in the community, and many times also have productive tasks or paid work), the Equality Program does not consider, for example, what actions will be taken to avoid an increase of the workload? Or, what actions will be taken with men for them to change their gender schemes and stereotypes? The program contemplates women as efficient administrators of the resources and an inexhaustible source of work.

On the other hand, it is considered that the program imposes greater demands on women in face of new commitments that they acquire and the knowledge that they must have (in the cases of projects with infrastructure), with which higher loads of work are imposed on them, without changing their economic and social conditions.

With regard to training, the program assigns around 30 % of the total resource approved to this area. Through civil society organizations, training projects are brought to the groups benefited, where the following themes are tackled: human rights of women and men; gender (equity, equality and empowering); masculinity (relationship between men and natural resources from their construction of gender and their relationship with power and violence); and sustainable development (access, use, management of natural resources and gender relations); ecological footprint of men and women; environmental, social and economic impacts derived from climate change, analyzed from the gender perspective. However, this action does not contemplate strategies that imply measures that tend towards peasant women discussing, understanding and organizing themselves to transform the origin and the effects of sexual inequality.

Another important point is the matter of follow-up and verification of supports. With the analysis performed through the gender verification matrix, it could be observed that there are no mechanisms for revision in the field, or verification mechanisms that account for the social impacts presented by the Program. For example, what advantages or disadvantages has the implementation of the projects brought for women? Are women understanding and assimilating the information received? Or, to what extent have their workloads increased or decreased? The implementation of a stage for verification in the short, medium and long term is needed, to confront and account for the advancement or worsening in the program’s implementation.

Concerning the budget allotment, for the Federal Disbursements Budget 2013, the Environment and Natural Resources Sector corresponds to the Administrative Branch No. 16, and it had a budget of 56 471.2 million pesos, of which SEMARNAT (Central Sector) received the amount of 5610 million pesos. Of this, the Equality Program received only 0.6 %, equivalent to 35 million pesos.

A historical analysis of the resources allotted from 2008 to 2014 shows that the general trend during this period was to increase. In the first year the budget allotted was 9.7 million pesos; by 2011, this budget was doubled and reached 18.6 million pesos; in 2012 and 2013 it again had a significant increase of around 30 million pesos; for 2014, the trend changed, since the budget attained in prior years presented a drastic fall, practically to half of what it had been in the two prior years, to 14 million pesos.

The proportional amount invested in each member of the group varied considerably, for although it is a fixed amount, the number of participants ranges from 15 to 30. If we analyze the total resource assigned to women’s groups and divide it by the women benefitted, an approximate average is 5 thousand pesos per person. It should be recalled that this resource is not received individually, because it is destined to investment, technical assistance and sensitizing.

With regard to the budget that is assigned for group sensitizing and training, of the total budget assigned through the Guidelines, both for women’s groups and for Civil Society Organizations in the 2013 fiscal year, around 9 % was assigned for that purpose which at the national level represents almost 3 million pesos.

Coverage of the program extends to the 31 states of the Mexican Republic (Figure 1); it supports ejidos, communities, localities and municipalities, preferably those that are part of the 400 municipalities of the national system for the National Crusade against Hunger (Cruzada Nacional contra el Hambre, CNCH) (strategy for inclusion and social welfare, which has the purpose of the conservation of natural assets of the general population and the generation of productive opportunities focused on ensuring their access to food, primarily), a list published in the Federation’s Official Journal (Diario Oficial de la Federación, DOF) on January 22nd, 2013. The target population of the program is women and men, indigenous peoples and youth.

Source: authors’ elaboration from information taken from the list of groups benefitted from projects with subsidies for groups of women, indigenous peoples and youth, 2013 fiscal year. SEMARNAT.

Figure 1 Distribution of projects approved by the SEMARNAT Equality Program at the national level, for the 2013 fiscal year. 

The projects with highest demand were those that support activities for family reproduction, which refers to the efficient consumption of energy through the use of firewood-saving stoves (Figure 2). These results exhibit the scarce decrease in gender inequality in the rural environment with these projects, since, as ^{Núñez (2007)} mentions, they foster a greater skill of women in domestic tasks.

Source: authors’ elaboration from information taken from the list of groups benefitted from projects with sub sidies for groups of women, indigenous peoples and youth, 2013 fiscal year. SEMARNAT.

Figure 2 Percentage distribution of the projects approved at the national level, according to area. 2013 Fiscal year. 

Labor structure and worker’s salaries in SEMARNAT, Michoacán Delegation, as well as earnings per gender

The SEMARNAT Delegation in Michoacán is made up of 32 employees with a position of trust, 10 women and 19 men (3 vacancies until the date of consultation). Considering the net earnings of the women and men officials in this Delegation, a categorization was made to understand the gender composition from the positions with lowest income to the positions with highest income. It was found that 3 % belongs to the category of officials, 53 % to mid-level managers, and 44 % to operative (not considering employees who have an income of less than 7000, and who are also operative workers of the delegation, because this information was not given to us) (Figure 3).

Source: authors’ elaboration with information from the SEMARNAT Institutional Directory and the information available in the Transparency Obligations Portal of the Instituto Federal de Acceso a la Información y Protección de Datos Personales (ifai).

Figure 3 Participation of women and men per work position in the Michoacán Delegation, SEMARNAT, 2014. 

The positions in which the women are concentrated correspond to the lowest. On their part, men are distributed in the totality of the positions, including the coordinations and subdelegations, where the positions that are better paid are found (Figure 4).

Source: authors’ elaboration with information from the SEMARNAT Institutional Directory and the information available in the Transparency Obligations Portal from the Instituto Federal de Acceso a la Información y Protección de Datos Personales (ifai).

Figure 4 Percentage distribution of men and women who work in the Michoacán Delegation of SEMARNAT, according to the position occupied, 2014. 

According to ^{Zamudio and Núñez (2011)}, it is not strange to find women within the government offices, traditionally in positions as secretaries and assistants, because these are considered ideal posts for them because they are good administrators; this reflects how the dynamics and the structure of the domestic sphere are reproduced within the public scope in institutions, organizations, etc.

Regarding the training that employees of the Delegation have or have received, the women interviewed described that most of them (6) have received some type of training and one responded that she hadn’t. In terms of the men, the total of those surveyed (13) declared having received training within the Delegation. For both genders, the main themes have been about technical and operation issues, depending on the areas where they participate. However, they receive in common themes about administration, personal development and legal issues. Likewise, they manifested that the greatest impact that trained people have had has been in the labor sphere, and in the second place, the personal sphere.

To have a reference of the sensitizing process about the gender issue that staff in the Delegation undergoes as part of the process of mainstreaming, questions were made about the training received on this issue. The fact that none of the women stated having received training about it is surprising, while among the men only three of them have received at least one training; two of them are employees with the level of direction and one with the level of area coordinator.

When asking the staff surveyed if they had knowledge about the gender perspective, all the women and men declared that they did know what this referred to. Some of the answers were: “That there is equality in opportunities, for development and improvement, without gender distinction”; “Considering that in the performance of the functions involved in work positions, men and women can participate indistinctively”; “An approach with equality of rights between men and women”; “Social strategy, equality of opportunities and responsibilities”; “It is a movement that seeks for there not to be or to end gender inequalities”; “It refers to the need to end the inequalities in the treatment of women and their opportunities based on their sex”. This reflects that the staff has some understanding of what the gender perspective implies.

Challenge of environmental public policies in México

In general, a public policy that attempts to attain equal opportunities for women in every area is not possible as long as a general economic policy prevails that promotes marginalization, poverty and the constant deterioration of living conditions (^{Aranda, 1993}). Women do not require the design of specific policies that attempt to solve the effects of existing inequalities. A policy is required that attacks the origin of economic and gender inequality, and which recognizes the main causes of sexual inequality, with the resulting allotment of resources to allow a planned and coordinated attention of their suggestions and actions (^{Núñez, 2008}).

Following Núñez, an integral policy needs to stem from the fundamental premise that the women and men subjects to whom it is being directed are diverse. This is where the differentiation of the needs and visions of women and men takes on relevance, where the causes for inequalities between the sexes are disarticulated.

In the field of environmental policy, it is still being assumed that there is homogeneity of interests in the communities. ^{Joekes et al. (2004)} mention the revealing signs that distinguish the current environmental policy with regards to gender equity: 1) it is centered on the sustaining roles of women; 2) it does not take into account the interaction between the feminine and masculine roles; 3) it contemplates women as efficient administrators of resources and an inexhaustible source of work; 4) it assumes that participating in a project of natural resources management would benefit women; and 5) it assumes the homogeneity of interests among women.

In this study, various situations were found which agree with the aspects found by ^{Joekes et al. (2004)} and which evidence an erroneous planning of the policy, since they represent a setback for women. Considering our context, the following points are suggested:

Some additional actions that should be undertaken in public policy are: reducing masculine migration towards outside of the country, since it forces women to take on the different responsibilities of the family nucleus; the problem of the feminization of poverty as consequence of the process of globalization; the recognition of women’s work; and domestic and sexual violence. The incorporation of women into the labor market suggests actions that tend to avoid the disqualification of activities they perform due to gender inequalities. It is fundamental to change the conception of feminine work in a society that marginalizes and discriminates against women, the compliance to labor rights, support in domestic chores, and basic needs.