270
displays both complexities and opportunities in integrating livelihoods of female
entrepreneurs in extractive industry or other sectors in the local economy. This section also provides a more detailed description of the Colombian case study.
Colombia is a Latin American country located in the north of South America that
has experienced an escalating resource growth over the last three decades. Mining
along with oil extraction represented 4.6% of the Colombian GDP in 2005 (UPME
2006). The resource industry is also becoming one of the most representative economic sectors in Risaralda. Only 3.6% of Colombian municipalities are both rural
and show a high human development index. Thus, many local governments in these
municipalities have succeeded in fostering sustainable resource development
through effective fiscal management and efficient public institutions. Although
some others have failed due to external factors such as armed conflict and political
instability, there are other factors which heavily influence the quality of women’s
livelihoods such as economic strength, human capital accumulation and the emergence of a larger middle class of “rural” landowners. The gender gap and rurality
are key caveats to the empowerment of females in Colombia. More specifically, the
key limitations we see in resource-rich regions are evident in the monopoly of a
state-centric approach to sustainable community development.
Risaralda is located in the Colombian Andes mountain range. Mining and exploration projects operating in Risaralda have impact on women and their livelihoods
in both urban and non-urban areas. According to the last census register (DANE
2005), Risaralda hosted a population of 859,666 people in 2005. Out of the total
population, 665,104 people inhabited urban areas, whereas 194,562 were located in
peri-urban and rural areas. 51.3% of the population was female and 48.7% male.
Statistics also show that Risaralda hosted 230,532 households in urban and nonurban areas. According to the “Mission to Link Employment, Poverty and Inequality
Surveys” (MESEP), an individual is considered poor if he or she earns less than
US$103.30/month. Using this income threshold, almost half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line. The income of the average poor Colombian is
below the poverty line by $48.10/month. The gap is even wider for the rural poor at
$51.88/month; and more significantly, rural women’s incomes are farthest below the
poverty line at $53/month. As women were the most susceptible to this “poverty
trap,” it increases the complexity of finding livelihood options and opportunities to
aid their transition out of poverty (CIAT 2013), a situation that also compromises
political instability, hence demonstrating the importance of providing recommendations that assist the stakeholders in resource regions in forging sustainable livelihoods and paths to sustainable peace.
17.4 Discussion
This section aims to discuss existing approaches to help women in developing
resource regions forge sustainable livelihoods and open new pathways towards sustainable peace. It is argued that women’s livelihoods are very often threatened due
I. B. Franco and E. Derbyshire
displays both complexities and opportunities in integrating livelihoods of female
entrepreneurs in extractive industry or other sectors in the local economy. This section also provides a more detailed description of the Colombian case study.
Colombia is a Latin American country located in the north of South America that
has experienced an escalating resource growth over the last three decades. Mining
along with oil extraction represented 4.6% of the Colombian GDP in 2005 (UPME
2006). The resource industry is also becoming one of the most representative economic sectors in Risaralda. Only 3.6% of Colombian municipalities are both rural
and show a high human development index. Thus, many local governments in these
municipalities have succeeded in fostering sustainable resource development
through effective fiscal management and efficient public institutions. Although
some others have failed due to external factors such as armed conflict and political
instability, there are other factors which heavily influence the quality of women’s
livelihoods such as economic strength, human capital accumulation and the emergence of a larger middle class of “rural” landowners. The gender gap and rurality
are key caveats to the empowerment of females in Colombia. More specifically, the
key limitations we see in resource-rich regions are evident in the monopoly of a
state-centric approach to sustainable community development.
Risaralda is located in the Colombian Andes mountain range. Mining and exploration projects operating in Risaralda have impact on women and their livelihoods
in both urban and non-urban areas. According to the last census register (DANE
2005), Risaralda hosted a population of 859,666 people in 2005. Out of the total
population, 665,104 people inhabited urban areas, whereas 194,562 were located in
peri-urban and rural areas. 51.3% of the population was female and 48.7% male.
Statistics also show that Risaralda hosted 230,532 households in urban and nonurban areas. According to the “Mission to Link Employment, Poverty and Inequality
Surveys” (MESEP), an individual is considered poor if he or she earns less than
US$103.30/month. Using this income threshold, almost half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line. The income of the average poor Colombian is
below the poverty line by $48.10/month. The gap is even wider for the rural poor at
$51.88/month; and more significantly, rural women’s incomes are farthest below the
poverty line at $53/month. As women were the most susceptible to this “poverty
trap,” it increases the complexity of finding livelihood options and opportunities to
aid their transition out of poverty (CIAT 2013), a situation that also compromises
political instability, hence demonstrating the importance of providing recommendations that assist the stakeholders in resource regions in forging sustainable livelihoods and paths to sustainable peace.
17.4 Discussion
This section aims to discuss existing approaches to help women in developing
resource regions forge sustainable livelihoods and open new pathways towards sustainable peace. It is argued that women’s livelihoods are very often threatened due
I. B. Franco and E. Derbyshire