Gender and Development Corner

Background

Studies show that gender norms and labels limit the opportunities of both women and men in different ways wherein ensuing inequalities have historically put females at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, it has also been proven that empowering women produces extensive and significant effect on economic and development growth. As a result, calls for concerted efforts emerged worldwide in the 1960s to counter gender disparity.

The adoption of various international landmark agreements has been instrumental in achieving substantial results in advancing gender equality that include the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action . These agreements were reached through the works of the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women which was established in 1946.

The 2015 UN Women Report however, revealed that gender inequalities remain pervasive in every society. They struggle from lack of access to decent work and gender wage gaps, among others. They are also deprived of admission to basic education and health care. Neither are they spared from violence and discrimination. The report also bared that they are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes.

Finally, the international community witnessed a defining moment for its efforts to advance gender equality when the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was adopted in 2015 by the United Nations. With 17 goals and 169 targets, the SDGs seek to transform the course of the 21st century as it addresses key challenges such as poverty, inequality, and violence against women and girls. As women’s empowerment is essential particularly to the latter, a stand-alone goal (Goal 5) has been devoted to achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment towards hastening sustainable development.

In the 2016 progress report of the United Nations on Goal 5, gender equality and women’s empowerment were advanced in recent decades. Access to education of women has improved. There was also a decline on the rate of child marriage and improvement was made in the area of sexual and reproductive health, and reproductive rights. Lesser maternal deaths was also recorded.

The challenge to achieving gender equality should be addressed earnestly bearing in mind the latest 2017 Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum (WEF). The report estimates that it will take another century before the world reaches a gender-equal status. As this poses a major hurdle to sustainable development, closing the enormous gaps between women and men requires stepping up efforts at all fronts.

Understanding Gender Mainstreaming

The United Nations pointed out that gender mainstreaming is not about adding a “woman’s component” or even a “gender equality component” into an existing activity. It further stressed that mainstreaming goes beyond increasing women’s participation; it means bringing the experience, knowledge, and interests of women and men to bear on the development agenda.

Understanding the concept of gender equality as the main goal of mainstreaming facilitates an effective implementation of the mechanisms of the strategy. Equality between women and men or gender equality refers to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys.

Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women and men’s rights, responsibilities, and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.

Philippines’ Viewpoint

The Philippines has persistently shown its drive in advancing gender equality and promoting women empowerment. Foremost, the Philippine Constitution directed the tone for the equality of men and women before the law. Following this recognition, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) reported that efforts to make governance gender responsive are promoted through legislation such as the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) or RA 9710.

The MCW mandates non-discriminatory and pro-gender equality and equity processes to facilitate women’s involvement in the development of policies, plans and programs ranging from formulation, implementation, and evaluation for both national and local development.

The MCW further strengthened mainstreaming gender and development in the Philippine bureaucracy. Yearly, all government agencies and instrumentalities are required to identify gender issues and corresponding gender and development programs, activities and projects (PAPs) in their annual Gender and Development (GAD) Plan and Budget. Furthermore, the cost of implementation of the identified PAPs shall be at least five percent (5%) of their total budgets.

The Philippines also adheres to the provisions of the UN CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related international conventions and commitments.

Recently, the 2017 report of the World Economic Forum on the Global Gender Gap Report revealed that although the Philippines fell 3 spots from 7th place in 2016 to 10th place, it however maintained its status of being the most gender equal country in Asia. The report ranked 144 countries based on 4 categories namely: labor force participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.