Ella Joyce O.

Palomaria

Gender Equality is a fundamental human right, we are entitled to live with dignity and with freedom.
It is a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world that we all have been aiming
for. It is also a precondition for reducing poverty and progression for economic development. The main goal
of gender equality is to empower all women and girls who faced inequality, oppression and discrimination.
Women and girls represent half of the world’s population, this denotes also half of its potential.
Unfortunately, gender inequality still persists everywhere and this stagnates social progress. According to
a recent study that the UN conducted, 1 in 5 women and girls between the ages of 15- 49 reported that
they are experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner within a 12-month period and 49
countries currently have no laws protecting women from domestic violence. Also, FGM or the Female
Genital Mutilation are is still being practiced by many countries as of today and this tradition is nothing but
inhumane- it is a very dangerous, damaging and may cause death.

According to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals these are the presented Goal Targets; First is to
end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. Eliminate all forms of violence
against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other
types of exploitation. Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female
genital mutilation. Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public
services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the
household and the family as nationally appropriate. Ensure women’s full and effective participation and
equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in
accordance with the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development
and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences. Undertake
reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control
over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in
accordance with national laws

According to UN, by providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, adequate
work and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable
economies and benefit societies and humanity at large. By implementing a new and legal framework
about the gender equality in the workplace and putting and end on the harmful practices and traditions
that are targeted to women has a crucial role on eradicating the gender-based discrimination that is
prevalent in many countries around the world.
As claimed by a study of the European Union, gender equality has a great influence and positive impact
on the GDP or the Gross Domestic Product per capita which grow overtime. The improvements would
lead an additional 10. 5 million jobs which would benefit men and women- 70% of these jobs will be taken
by women, it is particularly important as this can help reduce poverty. In conclusion of the study, improve
gender equality can boost the long-term competitiveness of the economy.
According to world resource institute, evidence shows that gender equality has a significant positive
impact on the social and environmental well- being. Women are active agents of conservations and
restoration of our natural resources. Evidence from recent studies revealed that there is a correlation
between environment and gender this happens when gender inequality is high, forest depletion, air
pollution and other environmental degradation are also high.
Two projects of the goal here in the Philippines.

The Gender and Development Program (GAD) of Department of Trade and Industry.
DTI’s Gender and Development Program follows closely the Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act
9710) passed in 2009, which provides specific interventions by DTI on women’s economic
empowerment.
United Nations Development Programme (Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment)

UNDP included gender equality as a vital foundation towards the achievement of sustainable human
development, they are committed to making gender equality to a reality- focusing on these three main
areas:
Ella Joyce O. Palomaria

a) Policy Advocacy - Thru the years, UNDP has provided key support to the Philippine Commission on
Women (PCW) in the implementation of gender mainstreaming initiatives and advocacy efforts for
key national legislation.

Since 2007, UNDP participates in the “UN Joint Programme on CEDAW Concluding
Comments” to support national efforts to strengthen the national machinery for the advancement of
women’s rights.

b) En-gendering Programmes - The UN System in the Philippines has a strong and active UN Gender
Mainstreaming Committee that offers technical support to UN programmes and ensures that gender
equality and women’s empowerment are at the centre of the UN agenda.

c) Empowering through Capacity Development - The empowerment of women is central to human

development. Since 2009, UNDP has been implementing the programme, “Promoting Leadership
and Mitigating the Negative Impacts of HIV and AIDS on Human Development” to strengthen
capacities of government institutions, civil society organizations and people living with HIV to halt and
reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. With support from the UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Center and in
partnership with the NGO “Babae Plus”, leadership programmes for women and girls living with HIV
have empowered 40 positive women from across the country to eliminate social barriers, stigma and
discrimination.

How can you contribute as a student?

- As a student I shall stay in school to be educated, help my female classmates, teachers and
associates to be empowered and fight or our right to access sexual and reproductive health
services. Also, by addressing the biases and implicit associations that form and unintended
and often invisible barrier to equal opportunity. I can also educate my fellow countrymen
about gender equality and their right to address the inequality and discrimination that they
might experience in their work place. Also, I will take the opportunity to educate them about
cultural practices like FGM and change the harmful laws that limit the rights of women and
girls preventing them from achieving their full potential.

Sources: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/5.pdf
https://www.unfpa.org/gender-equality
https://www.wri.org/blog/2016/03/if-you-care-about-environment-you-should-care-about-gender
https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/policy-areas/economic-and-financial-affairs/economic-benefits-gender-equality
https://www.undp.org/content/dam/philippines/docs/Governance/fastFacts%20-
%20Gender%20Equality%20and%20Women%20Empowerment%20in%20the%20Philippines%20rev%201.5.pdf
https://www.dti.gov.ph/programs-projects/faps/gad-program
http://www.ph.undp.org/content/philippines/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-5-gender-equality.html