Gender perspective of community participation in solid waste management; a case of balangoda urban council, Sri Lanka

Abstract

This Sociological study attempts to analyse how gender becomes manifest as determining factor of the participation of community in solid waste management. This is an explorative study is based on the methods of observation, stakeholder analysis, semi structured questionnaire survey (200) and in-depth interviews (10) with key informants to collect qualitative and quantitative data in Balangoda urban council, Sri Lanka. The samples were selected on stratified basis and data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The secondary information was mostly collected from the sociological literature and relevant studies of solid waste management. The results of the study have shown women tend to express higher levels of concern for the environment than men considering the more care more towards the health and safety of their families and communities. Women play different roles in identities in a given society especially their tasks in the domestic set up. Masculinity is expected to be more focused, competitive and independent while feminity is highlighting sensitivity and more concern for others. Therefore most distal causes to alter environmental behavior are gender and gender identity of an individual.