Abstract

This paper examines some of the gender constraints that are likely to impede upon rural women's utilisation of information for sustainable environmental development. Using a study sample of 600 rural women controlled for homogeneity on the basis of some socio-economic factors, the study reveals that majority of the women had access to information dissemination through media channels within their immediate vicinity; for example, radio and television. However, where access and exposure to media messages necessitated their movement outside their homes (as is the case with mobile cinema vans, annual tree growing campaigns, etc.), they were severely restricted by some socio-cultural and religious factors. Given these unique peculiarities of rural women in a predominantly Islamic setting, the paper concludes that if women are to be sufficiently informed and mobilised to actively participate in environmental rehabilitation efforts, attempts must be made to ensure that communication strategies adopted are not 'gender blind'. To achieve this, the paper calls for urgent need to identify and reduce or eliminate altogether these barriers to and constraints on women's media use.