Introduction

Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) represent a vast, invaluable repository of traditional wisdom, practices, and innovations that have sustained communities for generations, particularly concerning sustainable resource management, health, food security, and social cohesion. However, within these systems, the crucial contributions and distinct knowledge of women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals are often overlooked, undervalued, or rendered invisible by dominant paradigms and even by internal patriarchal structures. Failing to recognize the gendered dimensions of IKS can lead to incomplete understandings, ineffective development interventions, and the erosion of vital knowledge held by women – who are often primary custodians of biodiversity, traditional medicine, and agricultural practices. A gender-sensitive approach to IKS is therefore essential for equitable recognition, preservation, and revitalization of this invaluable heritage for current and future generations. This essential training course focuses on Gender and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, equipping participants to honor and leverage diverse forms of wisdom.

This intensive training course is meticulously designed to equip development practitioners, researchers, policymakers, indigenous community leaders, cultural heritage specialists, environmental conservationists, and civil society organizations with the theoretical understanding and practical tools necessary to integrate a gender perspective into the documentation, preservation, and application of Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Participants will gain a deep understanding of how gender shapes the generation, transmission, and access to IKS, learn to identify and address biases in knowledge recognition, and explore strategies for empowering women and diverse genders as knowledge holders and innovators. The course will delve into topics such as women's roles in traditional agriculture and medicine, indigenous women's leadership in conservation, ethical considerations in IKS research, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and protecting indigenous intellectual property rights with a gender lens. By mastering the principles and methodologies of Gender and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, participants will be empowered to foster respectful collaboration, promote cultural revitalization, and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable development pathways rooted in local wisdom.

Duration: 5 Days

Target Audience

• Development Practitioners working with Indigenous Communities
• Researchers and Academics in Anthropology, Sociology, Environmental Studies, Indigenous Studies
• Indigenous Community Leaders and Elders (women and men)
• Cultural Heritage Specialists and Curators
• Environmental Conservationists and Climate Change Adaptation Professionals
• Policymakers (Environment, Agriculture, Health, Culture Ministries)
• Civil Society Organizations supporting Indigenous Rights
• Ethnobotanists and Ethnomedicine Practitioners
• Human Rights Advocates focusing on Indigenous Peoples' Rights
• Educators and Curriculum Developers

Course Objectives

• Understand the fundamental concepts of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and their inherent value.
• Analyze the gendered nature of knowledge production, transmission, and ownership within IKS.
• Comprehend the specific roles and contributions of indigenous women in various IKS domains.
• Learn to conduct gender-sensitive research and documentation of IKS.
• Acquire skills in designing culturally appropriate and gender-inclusive programs that integrate IKS.
• Explore strategies for empowering indigenous women as knowledge holders and innovators.
• Understand the importance of ethical protocols and free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) with a gender lens.
• Identify challenges and opportunities in intergenerational knowledge transfer.
• Examine global best practices and successful case studies of gender-sensitive IKS initiatives.
• Develop a practical action plan for integrating gender and IKS into their professional work.
• Enhance advocacy skills for rights-based approaches to IKS and indigenous women's empowerment.

Course Content

Module 1: Introduction to Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Gender

• Defining Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS): characteristics, values, and diversity.
• The importance of IKS for sustainable development, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
• Understanding gender roles, responsibilities, and power dynamics within indigenous communities.
• How IKS can be gendered: who holds what knowledge, who transmits it, and who benefits.
• The colonial legacy and its impact on the marginalization of both IKS and indigenous women's knowledge.

Module 2: Indigenous Women as Knowledge Holders

• Recognizing the specific knowledge domains traditionally held by indigenous women (e.g., traditional agriculture, seed saving, food processing, medicinal plants, traditional crafts, childcare).
• The vital role of indigenous women in biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management.
• Indigenous women's spiritual knowledge and ceremonial practices.
• Challenges in recognizing and valuing indigenous women's knowledge in formal systems.
• Case studies of indigenous women's knowledge in practice.

Module 3: Gender-Sensitive Documentation and Research of IKS

• Ethical principles for engaging with indigenous communities in IKS research (e.g., reciprocity, respect, responsibility).
• Applying Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) with a gender lens: ensuring women's voices are heard.
• Methodologies for gender-sensitive qualitative research (e.g., participatory mapping, oral histories, focus groups).
• Avoiding extraction and appropriation of indigenous women's knowledge.
• Digital tools for respectful documentation of IKS.

Module 4: IKS in Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate Change

• Indigenous women's roles in traditional farming practices, seed saving, and food sovereignty.
• Climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies embedded in indigenous women's knowledge.
• Promoting diverse, resilient, and gender-equitable food systems through IKS.
• The impact of land dispossession on indigenous women's food security and knowledge.
• Integrating IKS with scientific knowledge for sustainable agriculture.

Module 5: IKS in Health and Traditional Medicine

• Indigenous women as traditional healers, midwives, and knowledge keepers of medicinal plants.
• Holistic approaches to health and well-being within indigenous health systems.
• Challenges faced by indigenous women in accessing modern healthcare while preserving traditional practices.
• Protecting traditional medical knowledge and intellectual property rights.
• Integrating IKS into public health initiatives with a gender lens.

Module 6: Indigenous Women's Leadership and Governance in IKS

• The role of indigenous women in community decision-making and governance related to IKS.
• Strengthening indigenous women's leadership in protecting and transmitting IKS.
• Challenges to indigenous women's leadership (e.g., patriarchal structures, external pressures).
• Case studies of successful indigenous women-led initiatives in IKS preservation.
• Legal and policy frameworks supporting indigenous self-determination and IKS.

Module 7: Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer and Education

• Strategies for revitalizing and transmitting IKS across generations, with a focus on girls and young women.
• The role of elders, particularly women elders, in knowledge transmission.
• Integrating IKS into formal and informal education systems in a gender-sensitive way.
• Challenges of language loss and cultural erosion on IKS transmission.
• Mentorship programs and cultural camps for youth and women.

Module 8: Protecting Indigenous Intellectual Property Rights with a Gender Lens

• Understanding intellectual property rights (IPR) in the context of IKS.
• Challenges of IPR frameworks in protecting collective and intergenerational indigenous knowledge.
• Biopiracy and the exploitation of indigenous women's traditional knowledge.
• Developing culturally appropriate mechanisms for protecting IKS.
• Advocating for legal reforms that recognize and protect indigenous women's collective IPR.

Module 9: Mainstreaming Gender and IKS in Development and Policy

• Integrating gender and IKS into national development plans and environmental policies.
• Best practices in collaborative partnerships between development actors and indigenous communities.
• Advocacy for indigenous women's rights and their knowledge systems at national and international levels.
• Addressing the challenges of cultural appropriation vs. respectful collaboration.
• The future of IKS and gender in a rapidly changing world.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training