Understanding what factors influence women's participation in forest co-management is vital for effective policy planning and women's empowerment. The views of women and men from four villages in the Chandpai forest range on what influences women's participation in forest co-management were gathered qualitatively. Data were collected through focus group discussions (n ¼ 16) and in-depth interviews with key informants(n ¼ 29), and thematically analyzed. The participation of women in forest co-management was mostly influenced by family expectations, then religious and societal norms. Women stated that these expectations constrained their participation, whereas men suggested it was less influential. Men reported that women's participation was motivated by a sense of responsibility to protect the forest, while women reported that participation was mainly focused on economic security for the family. Activities to increase women's participation could include training (e.g. forest protection, leadership), awareness campaigns regarding women's roles, and gender-balanced involvement in household activities.