Unlike most other South Asian countries, Bhutanese society is mainly matriarchal and women have equal status to men not only in the eye of the law but also in the home. Land ownership in Bhutan is officially registered by gender and it appears to be gender-biased in favour of women. This pattern holds true in the ownership of the livestock as well. Bhutan's forests are among the most important remains of natural Eastern Himalayan forests. Forest in Bhutan is state owned, but rural people have traditional user rights for grazing, collection of fuelwood and non-wood forest products, and thus the forest is an important resource base for the rural communities.
Forests also play an important role in food security in Bhutan.
Food from the forests becomes critical to the rural areas when transporting food to these areas is difficult, when people do not have money to buy food and when there is crop failure. Fuelwood and water collection is often undertaken by women. However, men sometimes take on fuelwood and water collection, and even child care. Heavy work like felling trees for house construction is done by men. Mushroom collection provides a sizeable income to many women and their families.