Guide on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples

In Sarawak, Malaysia, dueto logging and oil palmplantations, Dayak women faceissues related to food security,water shortages and loss oftraditional knowledge due tothe deterioration of biodiversity.They have noticed decline ofwild meat in logging areas anddecline of fish supplies due toriver pollution. 20expressed concern on the increasingkaraoke bars set up in oil palmplantations. 18 In Asia, karaoke bars areusually a prelude to prostitution andtrafficking.• Increase of women'sworkload. Deforestation for biofuelsincreases women’s work loads. 19 Asnurturers or providers, they would trekover long distances to collect food,water, and firewood which open themto sexual harassment or any violencealong the way.• Competition for resources.The devastating environmental impact of climate change heightenscompetition for resources in these fragile areas not only between andamong peoples but more seriously between peoples and the privatesector or the state in the light of some mitigation measures.• Extinction of traditional medicine and food and loss of traditionalknowledge. Biofuel production would cause disappearance ofdiverse forest species thatthey depend on for theirnutrition, healthcare, culturalpractice and economies. 21Loss of biodiversity due todeforestation would alsolead to loss of traditionalknowledge in preservingthe forest and on traditionalhealth practices, amongothers.• Dislocation ordisplacement. To expandbiofuel lands, “people andindigenous agriculturalsystems are displaced fromproductive lands.” 22 Forexample, the agricultural landof the indigenous Mapuchecommunities in the LumacoDistrict of Chile were takenover by pine and eucalyptusplantations. 23 Forests inPART VII: Indigenous Women and Climate Change 115