By Jasmine Willis, Wahyu Nurbandi, Brenda Gonzalez-Nava, Juanita Gomez, Guilherme Alvarenga, Ferdinand Castera, Auriane Flottes de Pouzols, Maya Lemaire, Jennifer Linden, Emily Madsen, Lauren Coad, Amy Hinsley, E.J. Milner-Gulland.
Wild meat, also known as bushmeat or game meat, is an important resource for food and income. However, to prevent wildlife decline and ensure food security, people must sustainably manage wild meat. Women play key roles in wild meat systems, from trading meat to preparing it for their household, yet research often overlooks their contributions. Including women in decision-making is both fair and beneficial for successful management, but we need better information on their roles within and beyond supply chains, such as in governance and research.
To address this gap, we reviewed research on women in wild meat systems, recording when and why women were present or absent in different roles. We identified over 900 records across 36 roles, such as hunters, traders, cooks, and consumers. Gender norms—social ‘rules’ around what is and isn’t appropriate for people of certain genders to do—often shape women’s involvement. For example, women were commonly wildmeat consumers due to their household responsibilities but were often absent from hunting, which norms often suggest is a men’s activity.
Women significantly influence wild meat systems through purchasing, preparing, and distributing wild meat in their households and communities. Women often dominate markets, yet they remain underrepresented in formal decision-making roles, such as government positions, which limits their ability to shape policies. For wild meat management to be sustainable and fair, researchers and policymakers must recognise and address these gender dynamics. Women should not only be present in discussions but actively participate, ensuring their perspectives and experiences shape conservation strategies.
Relational Thinking 